


Starting Today

by chennonwoo



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Complicated Relationships, M/M, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-16
Updated: 2017-07-11
Packaged: 2018-10-06 03:38:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 22,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10324772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chennonwoo/pseuds/chennonwoo
Summary: Seungcheol's dating Doyoon, but not he's not a priority. Jeonghan is oblivient, Jisoo is supposed to be happy. Mingyu's pretty much enjoying his life, Wonwoo starts losing faith. Soonyoung kind of popular, Seokmin isn't really cheerful around Jihoon and Jihoon's just being himself. Vernon is playing around, Seungkwan's experiencing for the first time. Mingming isn't happy. Jun's ruling everyone's life except Minghao's, but not really. Dino is normal.





	1. The Root

* * *

 

 

Seungkwan swears he never really hated English class more than that time at the moment. When his name being mentioned, he feels all his happiness gone away. Everyone else in the class cheering and shouting in disappointment at the same time, all eyes on him. He really doesn’t want to be there.

The teacher instructs Vernon to sit back to his chair before writing his name beside Seungkwan's name on the board, under the other group's name. He just teamed up with Vernon by Vernon’s hand.

Seungkwan curses under his breath. Of all person, why he have to get Vernon to be his partner in English final exam task?! Why it has to be his name that that person pulled out from the box? It’s acceptable for Seungkwan if Vernon is not an arrogant person, not that stupid, not that self-centered, and at least knows which one is him--for god sake he just looked around and asked which one is boo Seungkwan when he read the paper! And if only there’s no the backsound that always heard whenever Vernon’s name mentioned. The cheers. The jealous cheers, Seungkwan rather call. Well okay, he’s so damn good in English, but Seungkwan is smart too he doesn’t need Vernon for real goddammit.

Chwe Hansol who rathered be called Vernon, is a piece of beauty that has this unique charm of mysterious, said everyone in the school. He's the soccer captain in the school. Seungkwan never really pays attention to him though but he sees girls pay enough attention to make him feels annoyed. To Seungkwan, Vernon is an arrogant person, one of the delinquent, who doesn’t really care about surroundings and do whatever he want to do. He has this I-don’t-give-a-fuck face every time anyone talks to him. He rarely comes to class but he’s still known by everyone. Seungkwan watched him playing soccer once, and he admit that this person really know what he’s doing in the field. Still, that kind of guy annoyed Seungkwan just by hearing his name. He’s too haughty.

When the bell rings Seungkwan heads to the door straight away. Vernon will busy for the upcoming soccer tournament anyway, that king of soccer.

“Boo Seungkwan!”

Seungkwan almost jumps and drops all his books because the call.

“Why are you in a hurry?” Vernon asks suddenly standing in front of him.

Seungkwan swears he just died when he saw his face.

Wait.. that just sounds so wrong doesn’t it.

“I’m not,” he says. He was surprises that Vernon talk to him first. “This is just how I usually walk”

“Yeah but we’re just announced as partner don’t you want to at least talk to your English partner?” Vernon says with his husky voice and come the loud jealous cheers.

Seungkwan raises his eyebrow. “To you who doesn’t even know me?” Seungkwan walks past through Vernon.

“Hey, I'm sorry, alright,” Vernon catches him up and walk beside him. “I rarely came to class so I don’t know half of the class,”

Yeah right. You’re busy with your soccer thing, captain. “Alright, I'm Seungkwan and let’s make a good grade,” he stops walking and shoves his hand to shake hand with Vernon.

“Good,” Vernon smiles. And before Seungkwan can make another step Vernon continue. “Wanna work on the essay when? Tomorrow?”

“It’s in four weeks?” Seungkwan doesn’t want to sound lazy, but someone seems in a rush.

Vernon raises his shoulder. “I have an upcoming tournament if you haven’t heard, I don’t have four weeks,”

Shit. Such a burden. “How long do you have?”

“One week in short,”

10 pages English essay in one week? Well, Seungkwan was thinking two or three weeks is enough but one week?! "10 pages is quiet a lot,"

"I'm really fluent in English though,"

Seungkwan thought for a few long seconds before finally nodding. “Alright but let’s look on my schedule first,” He continuing his walk.

Vernon follows him. “What are you busying about?”

Seungkwan gives Vernon a weird look. “I’m broadcasting?” He says.

“On what?” Vernon asks again with the same furrowed eye brow.

Seungkwan has to stop walk and frowns by the question. “School radio?” He answers again not sure if this guy serious or not.

“We have one?”

Now Seungkwan mentally gasps and he swears his really wants to slap Vernon’s social knowledge. “You’ve been living in the cave or what?”

“In the field actually,” Vernon says not a hint of guilty for not knowing that the school radio is exist. For god sake, Seungkwan’s practically broadcasting for lunch and break time almost every day and this soccer maniac doesn’t even know if there’s a school radio?! “So tomorrow okay? In my dorm, how's that sound?” Vernon adds.

Huh? What? “Your dorm-“

Vernon smile’s getting wider and he shakes Seungkwan’s hand excitedly, cutting him in the middle of speaking, “Deal, great, see you later”

And with that Vernon leaves. Seungkwan bites his lips. This doesn’t turn out that well. Well yeah that’s good Vernon talk to him first, but do they have to do the essay in his dorm? Like don’t they have this big place and most comfortable place to do the essay called school? Seungkwan always avoid group study in any dorm, he prefers school library or something. But Vernon just decided and he got off just like that. Seungkwan doesn’t even has his number to protest.

Ah screw with that. Time to broadcast in school’s radio. Who cares about tomorrow anyway? Let’s just enjoy today first.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Seokmin rolls around on his bed as his eyes stared aimlessly to the ceiling. He’s been sighing god knows how many times. Hands playing with the blanket that he bite sometimes or bring up to cover his head before rolling again.

“Just lying in there won’t solve any of whatever you’re thinking you know?” Seokmin hears his roommate talking. Mingming seems to notice his roommate’s distress. Then again, who isn’t if they see Seokmin in this state? “Is it him again?”

“He's so clueless” Seokmin cries. “I can’t believe this is what my life has come to. Even you have a boyfriend!”

Mingming raises an eyebrow evidently offended. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Well, I’m handsome and hot and the lead singer of glee club, I can even act, you are no one with no interest of anything how can you get one?” Seokmin says bluntly before a pause. “But then again, your boyfriend is Jun so I’m just gonna let it all slip like nothing happened to you,”

“Nothing happened?” Mingming throws a pillow to his face. “You’re just jealous I got a hot boyfriend before you do,”

A knock sounds at the door.

“Come in,” Mingming shouts and a delicate pale face with a long dark brown hair appeared at the doorway. He’s prancing over to the bed and leaning over to give Mingming a kiss on the cheek before settling to sit beside him, arms around Mingming’s stomach. He’s smiling to Seokmin innocently.

Seokmin hisses. “That’s impolite don’t you know that? Come here out of nowhere and being all romantic here in front of me!”

“I thought you already get used to it by now,” Jun says leaning over to rest his head on Mingming shoulder.

“God I wish I can just change roommate,” Seokmin groans and lying back down onto his bed.

Mingming laughs. “That’s exactly what I’ve been thinking since the first day you know”

Seokmin just hisses and cover his face with the blanket again.

“What’s wrong with him today?” Jun asks quiet catching Seokmin distress.

“He’s in love with a dumb who doesn’t know what love is,” Mingming tells Jun who looked at Seokmin pity.

“Who’s this unlucky man?” Jun begin to ask before Mingming smackes a hand over his mouth to prevent Seokmin from further anguish.

Seokmin glares at him but answer him anyway. “Soonyoung from music class, and he’s from Peacock House, and I think he's friend to Seungcheol’s boyfriend, but fuck he’s just too clueless I can just kill myself,” he grumbles to his pillow.

“He's friend with Doyoon?” Jun asks frowning for a second. “You can ask Doyoon to set you both on a double date or something,”

“That’s brilliant idea,” He answers. “But the problem isn’t on me, it’s on him,”

“No, the problem is you,” Mingming says before a pillow lands on his face.

“You know what I’ll just gonna do what your brilliant boyfriend just said,” Seokmin says standing up. “If this one fail I’m just gonna kill myself for sure,”

Mingming smiles wide. “Can’t wait for that to happen,” and another pillow lands on his face.

“So you’ll go to Seungcheol’s room now?” Jun asks rather excited. “Don’t back less than one hours okay?” he offers a grin.

Seokmin groans. “Please don’t fuck on my bed,”

“You never complain when Seungcheol and Doyoon did it,” Jun points out.

“Wait what? When?” Seokmin widen his eyes.

“Oh you didn’t know- oh well you can just leave now,” Jun standing up leading the owner of the room to the doorway. “Unless you want to evident us having-“

“Okay I’m going, for god sake,” he says walking by his own and make it to the doorway. “Don’t touch my bed,” and with a nod from a sneaky Jun, the door closed in front of him.

Seokmin sighs. What has he done in his life that he deserves such a friend and such a clueless crush?

Soonyoung is in his music class, and he dance really well. He’s a fun guy, and really clicks with Seokmin because they’re always joke around and make people laugh together. They are in the same sense of humor level. Seokmin got eyes on him since the first time he saw Soonyoung dancing, and it grew to crush whenever they joke around together. Soonyoung is just a funny person, bright and cheerful person that Seokmin can’t live without. Everything is happier around the latter. He approached him right away; make the first move and all. In fact, he has been doing it until now. The latter is just too clueless, too innocent, and too stupid to notice Seokmin’s love to him. Seokmin has been sending letters, chocolates, asking him out on a date many times, taking sits beside him, helping him here and there, but all he gets just another fun joke they’re having, but nothing more. Seokmin thought he’s being friendzoned, but he’s sure Soonyoung just too stupid to know anything about love.

He goes to Seungcheol’s room just to find it’s locked and no one’s there. He curses under his breath. Now he can’t go anywhere, because his room isn’t safe and no one’s room to crash in. Well there’s Vernon’s room he hasn’t check. But he believes Vernon’s been sleeping in the soccer field since forever so there’s no point of checking. He texts his other friend.

To Mingyu: 'Where u at? I need a place to crash in'

After a few moments, come Mingyu’s reply.

From Mingyu: 'At love hotel five star fucking Wonwoo, join us?'

God how he hates his friends.

He sighs hard and head out from the dorm, thanking himself for being smart enough to bring his car key with him. Let’s get some new air to refresh mind. Café sounds good.

 

* * *

 

 

 

Jisoo arrives about ten minutes after the call. He rushes into the café and look around to search a familiar face with a long blonde hair. He doesn’t find any blonde hair, instead a red bright long hair man sitting in the corner of the café, eyes locks on his phone. Jisoo frowns for a second before finally approve it is Jeonghan. He approaches the man.

“I didn’t know you change your hair color,” Jisoo says gaining attention from Jeonghan whose face immediately smiles bright.

“Jisoo! Finally you’re here!” he smiles motioning Jisoo to sit on the empty sit in front of him. “Doesn’t this suit me?” he asks as his hand start playing with his own hair.

Jisoo's half smiling, makes a confused look. "You went to the hair shop just now?"

"Yup right after school's ended!" Jeonghan says far too excited. "What’s the matter? It doesn’t suit me?" He asks. "Minhyuk compliment me though,"

It does suit him, Jisoo thought, but he’s trying so hard to prevent himself for frowning even more to the mention of a familiar name. Way too familiar. “You met minhyuk today?” he asks settling his stuff and sits.

Jeonghan gives him the menu. “Yeah,” he says offering a little smile. "He left just before you came,”

“And?” Jisoo doesn’t feel good.

Jeonghan's face not as cheerful as before but he still smiles. “He confessed,” he says.

Jisoo freezes. There’s something burning inside when he heard it. He puts down the menu, not interested to order anything. He wanted to ask more but his lips clamped to each other.

“I didn’t give him any answer yet,” Jeonghan says noticing what Jisoo would want to ask.

Jisoo doesn’t know if he should feel relief or not with that. Well it’s good that he didn’t give him answer, that’s mean Jeonghan is still single now. But that also mean he’s considering because no rejecting happened. Jisoo just nods for that trying to make himself calm. When he does, he opened his mouth. “When will you give the answer?”

“He gave me two days,” Jeonghan answers. “But it might be a no,”

“Then it also might be a yes?” Jisoo raises an eyebrow.

Jeonghan pouts as he sighs. “I don’t know, I don’t want to think about it,” he took a sip of the now already cold coffee.

“Well, you have to, because it’s someone’s feeling you have there,”

“I don’t think I like him in that kind of way. I don’t love him,” Jeonghan says.

“Do you ever been in love?” Jisoo asks. Jisoo knows the answer of course. He's just checking his answer out.

“No, but I should know if I’m in love shouldn’t I?”

Jisoo just smile by that. He watches the man in front of him playing with his coffee. His face look brighter than before, might be because of the new hair. He looks even prettier in red. “Your hair suits you,” he compliment him and Jeonghan’s smile get wider. "Why red?"

"I couldn’t think any other color when i was asks what color I wanted. I just remember red is your favorite color," Jeonghan says.

Jisoo amused by the answer. He didn’t even remember saying his favorit color to Jeonghan. "I’m flattered," he laughs, feeling proud for himself. "You're pretty, Jeonghan," and Jeonghan's smile couldn’t get any wider.

Jeonghan is just too innocent and he never experience love. To Jisoo’s selfishness, he’s glad by that because he has been with Jeonghan since forever, he can keep Jeonghan to himself, meaning he can just prevent Jeonghan for falling for others because Jeonghan doesn’t know if he’s in love of not himself. They always spent time together like this almost every day. It’s Jeonghan’s habit, but Jisoo don’t want to lie how he quietly demands meeting too. He has been having this feeling towards Jeonghan for three years now. At first it’s just a little crush, all admiring and cute, and then it grew to possessiveness, where he himself can’t control the possessiveness itself. He didn’t confess because he already feels comfortable and he doesn’t want Jeonghan to feels different about him. He doesn’t want what they have now changed. He’s okay only being best friends, as long as Jeonghan only relying on him and not falling in love with others, he doesn’t think confessing is necessary. He just wants Jeonghan to only see him, to never fall in love with someone.

Minhyuk is an exceptional, that’s because Minhyuk is Jeonghan’s childhood friend who he met sometimes back at home and he just can visit Jeonghan whenever he want, that’s out of Jisoo’s hand. That’s why if Jeonghan has the possibility to fall for someone beside himself, it’s minhyuk. He’s glad Jeonghan considering a no. he doesn’t want to lose Jeonghan, even when he’s not his.

After Jisoo order the cappuccino latte he always orders there, Jeonghan starts talking about everything else. About classes, homeworks, his annoying roommate, his annoying homeroom and all. He’s about to talk about this friend of him called jihoon in his grafity class who he mentioned many times to Jisoo, when his phone ringing, too loud to be ignored.

“Hello?” Jeonghan picks it up. Jisoo sips his drink.

“Where you at?" speaks a familiar voice. It’s Soonyoung, Jisoo notices, Jeonghan’s current roommate.

"At the cafe with Jisoo," answers Jeonghan. "Did you find it?"

"No, i got the duplicate, no thanks to you," come the reply rather cynic. "You wanna go home now?"

“I’m with Jisoo, I can go home with him,”

“Then go home now and bring Jisoo with you because I have mountain of math homeworks,”

Jisoo raises an eyebrow hearing the reply. “And why do I need to come?” he asks as Jeonghan leaned forward so his phone close enough for Jisoo to talk to the phone.

“Aren’t you the smartest kid in school? Help me out a little,” Soonyoung says. Jisoo frowns and half chuckling. Well he is indeed the smartest kid in school, he’s not in the Eagle House for nothing, but helping Soonyoung a little? More like doing it all for him. “Hurry up okay? I’ll buy some food for us,” Soonyoung says again before he hang up.

“Does he ever did his own homework?” Jisoo asks annoyed.

Jeonghan laughs. “His life is around the dance floor, he doesn’t need math to interfere his love for dancing,” he answers. “Come on, let’s go back,” he says stuffing his things to his bag. “I’ll help you help Soonyoung,” he adds after noticing Jisoo’s not moving.

Jisoo can’t say no if it’s Jeonghan though, so he end up driving to Jeonghan’s place and ‘helping’ Soonyoung with his homeworks.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Mingyu shoves his phone back to his jacket after replying. He watches Wonwoo as he bite his burger and munching it like a hamster. He smiles. Well, he’s not in a love hotel fucking Wonwoo like what he said to Seokmin just now, that’s for sure, he’s in a burger restaurant watching Wonwoo eat instead. Man Seokmin is just an annoying bastard and Mingyu doesn’t really in the mood to hear his whining about this clueless crush of him. He doesn’t have time for someone who desperately wanted to get laid like Seokmin and why do he has to accompany him when he can be with his cute boyfriend and watch him eating like this?

Mingyu stares at Wonwoo's hand and he notices it's still red because of earlier. Mingyu starts to feel angry again. Those bastard from his team, why the fuck they hurt such a cutie like this. They dragged Wonwoo harshly out of the class and was going to fly punches at Wonwoo. It was a fortune Mingyu didn’t force himself to wait in the long queue for a bread and just head back to class to take Wonwoo eat somewhere else instead, just in time to stop them from harassing his boyfriend. If he waited in the queue longer, god knows what would happen.

After Kris graduated, Mingyu, being the ace and the tallest in the team, had automatically chosen as the captain. He refused at first but Kris insisted him, saying he didn’t want Taehyung to be the captain—it’s something personal, so he accepted it. It’s not hard being the captain, he only needs to play good in the game and make his team win by growing his team’s teamwork, which he can handle so far. But he didn’t know something like this would happen, not to him, moreover, to someone he cares for, because of his authority as the captain.

It’s not Mingyu’s fault they are not in the team. They rarely come to practice. Yonggi is a three pointer and Taehyung is a playmaker. They’re both a great player and one of the senior in the team. But they only come to practice once or twice and didn’t even come at the choosing team week. The coach gave the captain the full authority to choose who will be in the team and there’s no way he’d choose those who didn’t come to practice, he doesn’t want to risk his team’s winning. So for the next event he had to put them out. He didn’t know they hold grudge to him like this, even risking Wonwoo’s safety.

“Mingyu?” Wonwoo’s call pulls him back from his thought. “Are you not gonna eat yours?”

He turns to his half eaten burger and feeling himself suddenly lost his appetite. He raises his head and finding Wonwoo still staring at mouth full with unmunched burger. “You want mine?” Mingyu asks.

Wonwoo frowns before continuing munching his food. “Aren’t you the one who wanted to eat this?” he says after swallowing.

“I just lost my appetite,”

“Do you want to head back?” Wonwoo asks. There’s a hint of worried on his face.

Mingyu lets out a short laugh. “No, just eat,”

Wonwoo doesn’t reply. He bites his burger rather slowly. “I’m alright you know, I’m okay,” he says after a while, seem to know what’s on Mingyu's mind.

Mingyu’s mouth pouts but he’s showing a seriousness in it. “I know,” he says then offering a sincere little smile. “I know,” he repeated.

There’s a pause, Wonwoo seems to want to say something but he bites more to his burger instead, then Mingyu open his mouth, “Do you have anything to do tonight?”

Wonwoo swallows all his burger and after sipping his drink he answered. “I think I’ll be going back home for tonight,”

“Home as in your house or your dorm?”

“My house,” Wonwoo says. His face turns bitter. “My father is coming,”

Mingyu nods knowing the matter.

Wonwoo doesn’t have a good relation with his father. His parents divorced almost two years ago, and he lived with his mother since then. Mingyu knows this of course; their parents were best friends before Wonwoo’s family moved years ago.

Wonwoo was his best friend since kindergarten, and when Wonwoo suddenly left in elementary, Mingyu was sad for the whole week. He asks his parent where did Wonwoo’s family gone but they didn’t know. When Wonwoo appeared again in the neighborhood, even more attended the same high school as Mingyu, he’s already alone with his mother. Wonwoo’s father left them, Mingyu’s parents told him, he’d come sometimes, only to meet Wonwoo and convinced him to go with him. Wonwoo's dad had this weird obsession over his only son and also the heir of his big company; he wanted Wonwoo to follow his step, not his mother's step. Wonwoo chose his mother over his father, but his father didn't seem to give up on his obsession. Mingyu’s parent told him not to interfere or ask anything to Wonwoo, but he confessed to Wonwoo two weeks later and being Wonwoo’s boyfriend also mean sharing each other’s problem. Mingyu doesn’t know the whole story, but all he knows, if it’s about Wonwoo’s father, nothing good will happen.

“Do you want me to come with you?” Mingyu asks. Back when they’re not separated yet, every time Wonwoo got in trouble and got his parents mad at him, Mingyu always stayed with him, even when his parents told him to come home, he would never leave if Wonwoo still crying because of his punishment. It became habit that Wonwoo could never go home without Mingyu accompany him if he had made mistakes. But since they’re separated then meet again; it’s a habit that needed to be awakened. So Mingyu asks, half serious half kidding, to see if the latter still needed him just like old time or not.

Wonwoo shakes his head. “Nah, I'm okay,” he says. “I’m not a kid anymore Mingyu, I can take care of myself,”

Mingyu isn’t really happy with the answer, but he doesn't say anything to protest. It’s not like he can force his will towards Wonwoo’s anyway. He crosses his arms on the table, eyes staring dearly to Wonwoo, in which Wonwoo reply with the same stare. “I remember back when we were kids,” he says smiling. “You didn't want to go home until late because you broke your own bike, you afraid your parents mad at you, you cried on my shoulder until you fell asleep,”

Wonwoo gives him a light punch. “Stop it, it’s embarrassing,” he protests. “Why saying that so suddenly,”

Mingyu let a little laugh. “I already loved you back then,” he says. An arm reach Wonwoo’s arm and clamp it in between his. “I’ve loved you, so I give my shoulder for you ever since, so I never left you alone every time you got into trouble, so I never wanted you to feel afraid and sad,”

Wonwoo doesn’t reply. Eyes still locks at Mingyu’s but he isn’t smiling anymore.

"I still love you even when you left with no news, no message, no memo, nothing. I waited and I never stop wishing you to comeback every day," Mingyu caresses Wonwoo's hand. "I was afraid you've forgotten me when you back. I was afraid you won’t need me anymore. I was afraid I really lost you for sure,"

"Mingyu," Wonwoo cuts. "I’m here now,"

"If anything wrong happens you have to tell me, if you're afraid of anything, if you're in trouble, I’m here for you, I-"

"Mingyu stop it," Wonwoo tighten Mingyu's grip on him. "Of course I'll tell you. You don’t have to tell me something like that,"

There's a pause, Mingyu feels uneasy. “I can go with you, you just need to ask,” Mingyu says again.

Wonwoo let out a small sigh. He puts his other arm on Mingyu’s. “I know,” he replies. “But I’m okay, I can handle this, you don’t need to worry about me,”

“How can I not worry? I’m your boyfriend,”

“You can drive me if you insist,” Wonwoo says almost immediately. “But after that I’m on my own, okay?”

Mingyu couldn’t get more than drive him home. It’s better than nothing at all. He nods despite his disappointment. He doesn’t want to force his will towards Wonwoo any further anyway.

“Okay, I’ll drive you,” Mingyu says. “But promise me you’ll text me every five minutes,”

Wonwoo give him the are-you-serious look. Mingyu bargained. “Ten minutes,”

The look is still there. Mingyu says again hoping Wonwoo agree. “Half hour?”

Wonwoo doesn’t even change his expression. Mingyu sighs. “At least tell me if anything happens to you,”

“I’ll be alright okay?” Wonwoo let out a small laugh. “It’s not like I went to a lion cage or something,”

“Alright alright,” Mingyu says finally giving up. “Just let me know if anything happen,”

Wonwoo nods.

After paying the bills, Mingyu drove Wonwoo to his house.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Today had just turned out to be a very unlucky day for Soonyoung. First he woke up to his roommate's beautiful singing that he thought he's still in a dream, causing him slept again for another hour, leading him to only have five minutes to prepare to go to school, which was the reason he wears different color of socks, came late to class and got called to solve math problem in front of the class which a subject he never really pays attention to, because who would give their attention to variables and numbers, as if they don’t have anyone to give their attention to? So he couldn’t do all the math problems and the teacher adding more homeworks to him due tomorrow. Not just that, he dropped his room key somewhere when he was in a rush and couldn’t find it. Jeonghan, being such an ungrateful roommate won’t even help him about it, so he had to skip dance class, which should've been his only mood maker today, to find the key. Unfortunately he couldn’t find it anywhere so he had to ask the land man for the duplicate. It doesn’t end there though, he had to finish them the homeworks once he's in his dorm.

He receives the key with a little smile and when the land man turns he stroll out his tongue. After being lectured about how he shouldn’t lose his key for ten minutes, he can finally go home. It's already dark and he starts to feel hungry. Jeonghan's out with Jisoo and he's pretty sure there's only one coffee can and an apple in his empty refrigerator, and that's Jeonghan's. He decides to make a stop at the minimarket to buy some food and snacks to accompany him doing his math homeworks. This is all Jeonghan's fault. Jeonghan is such a useless roommate. How did he sing beautifully like that earlier in the morning, not even trying to wake him up or help him prepare his bag or his shoes or a little breakfast. Soonyoung haven’t eat since morning for god sake. Now Jeonghan have to help him to do the homeworks because it's his fault. Or better. Jisoo can do it. That's right. The latter must be together right now.

He arrives in front of the minimarket when he finishes the call, mentally checking his invisible list to force Jisoo to do his homework. Thank god Jeonghan is a friend of the smartest guy in school. Maybe Jeonghan not that useless after all.

He raises his head right when the door opens and it hit his head. He groans as he took one step back to keep his balance and rubbing his forehead. "Oh sorry," come a voice and Soonyoung trail his eyes to see a taller figure in front of him.

"You're alright?" It's Jun, he notices. Hard to not actually, he's one of the tallest kid in his grade. "You know you shouldn’t walk with eyes locked with your phone,"

Soonyoung hisses. "Thanks," he says. He doesn’t know much about Jun, Soonyoung rarely pays attention to others. He only knows that Jun is a friend of Seungcheol and despite his skinny tall figure, Jun mastered wushu and is a black belt in karate, nothing more. He seems like an introvert type of guy. He's not one of the bad guys Soonyoung knows, but also not one of a good guys.

He notices Jun's frowning before passing him by and went inside the market. "I know you," Jun says causing him stop and turn to face him. "You're Seokmin's cru- I mean friend,"

Soonyoung expression changes with the mention of the name of his friend. "You're friend with him?"

Jun nodds. "I was just from his dorm,"

"You're from the Wolf House?" Soonyoung asks not really remember what Seokmin ever says about his dorm.

"Seokmin's is Lion, actually, but I’m in Wolf House yes," he says. "What dorm you're in?"

"Peacock House," Soonyoung says.

The school's dorm is actually divided by many Houses. There are five Houses in total. Eagle House, Lion House, Wolf House, Peacock House, and Ferret House. It was divided by everyone's achievement and personality. Eagle House is on the top, lived by the school's representative student, like the student council, ranking first to ten students in academic, Olympiads kids and all. Lion House come next, lived by school’s clubs captain, people that everyone knows who gives big impact to the school. Then came the Wolf House, represent the intelligent students who isn’t smart enough to be in the Lion House or Eagle House. Peacock House represent the school’s beauty, all the students who lived in the Peacock House are either pretty physically or has a pretty personality. To be says, Peacock House’s students are everyone’s favorite house. Ferret House is the common house lived by ordinary students who isn’t fit with the other houses. Every three months the students can move to the other houses depends of their achievement and personality. Soonyoung himself has moved from the Ferret House to the Peacock House in the first three months. He replaced Jisoo’s place when the latter moved to the Eagle House, that boy got the first place in grade even when it’s only the first three months, he deserve live in the Eagle House. Jeonghan was originally in Peacock House. That's because he’s pretty.

“Wow, you’re one of the goddesses then,” Jun says.

That’s what people calls those who lived in the Peacock House. Soonyoung mentally rolles his eyes because he always got asks like that when he says he’s in the Peacock House, as if they judge him if he’s suit for the peacock house or not. “Well no, not really,”

Jun laughs. “But you’re pretty though,”

Soonyoung sends a weird look. “Are you flirting with me?”

“Maybe,” Jun raises an eyebrow to tease Soonyoung. He laughs again. “No, I have a boyfriend,”

“Do you,” Soonyoung says but doesn’t really mean it.

“Sorry do I bother your shopping time? I’m heading back now you can continue,” Jun says. “Or do you need a ride back?”

Honestly yes. His dorm isn’t that close by feet, but man, Soonyoung hate to deal with anyone else right now. But walking alone in the middle of the night through a pretty far dark street doesn’t sound fun. “Yes I need a ride if you don’t mind,” he says showing his teeth. “I’m just going to buy some food for a minutes, it won’t be long,” he says again before dashing in to grab some snacks and heavy food and to the cashier before back again in front of Jun.

“Done,”

Jun smiles. “Come on I’ll take you to the Peacock House,”

 


	2. Maybe It's Normal

* * *

 

 

“You know,” Doyoon says dropping his bread beside Seungcheol’s hand gaining everyone’s attention. “We can at least talk about it, not being an asshole and giving me a cold treatment like this,”

Seungcheol raise his head from his food while the rest just stare at him. “Huh?” He stops munching. Doyoon’s face doesn’t look happy.

“Look at these two,” Seokmin says meddled in with a smug on his face. He watches as Seungcheol starts making irritated expression while Doyoon shoots dagger with his eyes. “Trouble in paradise?”

Mingyu laughs beside him. “What paradise? It’s never paradise since the beginning,” he states before receiving a hard nudge on stomach by Vernon.

Seungcheol furrows his eyebrow. 

“What’s the problem this time?” Seokmin asks out of curiosity.

Doyoon raises his shoulder. “Ask him,” He pulls a chair to their table between Seungcheol and Vernon and sit.

“Do you two ever stop fighting?” Vernon asks. “You both fights a lot, about almost every little thing,”

“Yeah but they make up fast too,” Seokmin says. Well it’s true. Seungcheol and Doyoon are known as the cat and mouse couple which always fighting with each other 24/7, but well, they’re rivals since before they dated so it usually a light fight where it never ends long. That’s what make them popular anyway. “I wanna see how long you both could stay mad at each other,” Seungcheol sent him a weird look.

“Me too,” Doyoon grin mocking him.

Seungcheol lets out a disbelief snorts and rolls his eyes. “Yeah, me too,”

“How did you both date, again?” Vernon mouths his thought. “I mean by the amount of your fights—“

“They weren’t fighting, they’re sending love to each other,” Mingyu says.

“Isn’t that what all people talk about them though,” Vernon laughs.

“Oh shut up,” Seungcheol finally says. “Like you do any better,” he hissed as he swings his right hand around Doyoon’s shoulder. Doyoon raises an eyebrow to him and they exchanges stares for a goddamn thirty seconds before Doyoon pushes his hand away.

“Why don’t you start saying why we’re dating again,” Doyoon says showing his wide smile as he put his chin on both hand on the table in front of seungcheol’s face. “I never really get the idea,”

Seungcheol smack his head lightly yet harsh. “Why don’t you start telling when you came crazy all over me?”

Then laughter came from the three who’s just staring.

“I wonder how you both still be a couple like this,” Vernon voices again. “There must be something that keep you still together,”

“One of them must be really good in bed,” Mingyu says.

“Makes sense,” Seokmin nods seriously. “Sex keep the bond stronger,”

“God you’re stupid,” Seungcheol throws his empty drink to Seokmin.

Doyoon shakes his head in amusement. “What do you know about fucking anyway, you’re not even in relationship yet,” he says finally siding with boyfriend. Vernon and Mingyu laughs.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Seokmin protests. “I know everything about fucking even if I’m not in a relationship!”

“Honestly Seokmin, it’s been so long since the last time you dated anyone,” Vernon says changing his target from Seungcheol. He sips his cola. “You need to get laid,”

“Says someone who just ruined his own love confession,” Mingyu scoffs and Vernon chokes on his drink.

Seungcheol laughs, Seokmin stick his tongue out and started to sneer. Bless Mingyu and his stupid mouth.

Vernon glares to Mingyu. “I thought we’re on the same ship!” he says to the now roared with laughter Mingyu.

“Is it Dahyun? You asks her out?” Doyoon asks, pretty much the only one who doesn’t have clue what Mingyu means. “Did she reject you?”

“No,” Vernon frowns. Vernon never got rejected by anyone, everyone knows that. “But I forgot I asked her out and went to the soccer practice instead,”

Doyoon gasps. “Dude that’s terrible,”

The laughter gets harder.

“I think he might die alone in the soccer field,” Seungcheol comments, eyes filled with tears of so much laughing. “But well, he get laid whenever he feels like,”

Vernon nods in approval and puts on a smug. “That’s me, bitch,”

Mingyu calms his laugh down as he points his finger to Seokmin. “You need to start making progress, Seokmin,” he says moving his eyebrow in a very unpleasant way. “You need to get laid,”

Seokmin narrowed his eyebrow. “I’ve made moves already!” he protested. “It’s just this person got less brain than us!”

“It’s your own fault falling for an idiot person,” Seungcheol states. He puts his arm around Doyoon’s shoulder again and this time the latter casually rest on the other’s arm.

Seokmin throws back the drink can Seungcheol threw at him earlier. “Don’t call him an idiot!” he says feeling offended by the use of word.

Seungcheol dodges. “You said he has less brain than us, I just found a simpler word for that,”

Vernon laughs as he patted him on his back. “I think you need a new strategy,”

“What strategy? Tried to make a double date but turns out Doyoon doesn’t know any Soonyoung,”

Doyoon laughs. “Sorry, you got wrong information about him being a friend of mine,”

“Introduce him to us,” Mingyu says smirking. 

Seokmin sends him a weird look. “And how does it do any better?”

“Remember Yuna? And Irene?” Mingyu says. “We helped Vernon hook up with them, we can help you too,”

Vernon smacks Mingyu’s head. “What did I say about not mentioning my ex-girlfriends?!”

“We even helped Jun and Mingming,” Mingyu says again ignoring Vernon.

“That’s because the girls already wanted to get in to Vernon’s pants, and Jun and Mingming help themselves,” Seokmin says irritated. Well it’s true. Even without introducing and bringing the girls into their little group Vernon would already fuck them. And Mingming made himself comfortable around Jun and them, he got a special spot but he already this close to being Jun’s boyfriend at that time. No thanks to the group. “This is a special occasion, what you’re gonna do to him if I bring him to you?” Seokmin demands.

“Just do it,” Seungcheol says.

“Don’t worry,” Mingyu didn’t stop grinning wide. “We’ll treat him real good,” and he starts laughing maniacally.

“You’re gross,” Seokmin hisses.

“Well we’re not interested on taking his virginity or something, if that what’s you’re worried about” Seungcheol states and starts wiggling his eyebrow to Doyoon but gets hit by the latter in return.

“Whose virginity you’re not interested in?”

They all turn their head to see Jun standing behind Seungcheol’s chair holding a bowl of soup. He gives them a really disgusted look. “Why are you talking about someone else’s virginity? What is this conversation? Why am I hearing this?”

“You misunderstood,” Seokmin says face palming. Here he comes, Jun the mighty.

Seokmin is not a fan of Jun. Jun is like sly fox, he always have plans in the weirdest way, different from Mingyu who always suggest the dumbest idea.

“Yeah?” Jun pulls a chair and sit beside Mingyu and Vernon. “What is this about then?”

“Seokmin’s little helpless crush,” Mingyu says.

“Ah, Soonyoung?” Jun shows a little bit excitement in his voice. “I met him yesterday, he’s cute,”

Yeah of course he is. If he’s not Seokmin wouldn’t fall for him would he? Seokmin has this thing for cute things.

“Have you asks Doyoon to set you up on a double date?” he asks again.

“Nah, I don’t know any Soonyoung,” Doyoon states. “But maybe Jisoo knows, I can ask him for you,”

“Please do,” Jun says a little bit demanding.

Seokmin furrowed his eyebrow. “It’s my life here, hello, why you’re the one approving, Jun?”

“Because you’re slow,” Jun says bluntly. He receives an approval look from Vernon and Mingyu. Seokmin makes a note on is head to throw Vernon and Mingyu from the cliff later. “If the double date isn’t working, then introduce him to us,”

Mingyu laughs and Seungcheol joins him. “See? Told you,”

And then they start talking about what they will do to this poor little innocent guy if he introduce him to them. Seokmin face palmed himself. Introducing Soonyoung to his little group is the least thing he would do for his love story. Well, he has to introduce Soonyoung to his friends someday, but not before they date. No. It’s terrible. Soonyoung will retreat before the battle even begun if he met his friends. Not that it’s a bad thing, Jun and Mingming did became a couple and it’s a little thanks to their little group, only a little, but Soonyoung is not Mingming. He and Mingming already a roommate and it means Mingming has this golden ticket for Jun’s heart. Soonyoung is just too far to reach, moreover with his innocent little heart. Seokmin doesn’t know what to do. Mingyu’s idea is dumb and Jun’s idea is weird, and they have the same idea this time. The double date is his only chance. He sighs. If the double date doesn’t work, well god knows what will happen.

“Anyway,” Vernon says cutting Jun’s talk about how Mingming is a lucky person to have dating him. “Does any of you know Boo Seungkwan?”

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

“Have you ever been separated from books?”

Jisoo raises his head. Jeonghan standing beside him, hands rest on the table, hair hanging covering his half eyebrow.

“Yes, I'm having an affair with baseball gloves in afternoon,” he let out a smile as he closes his book.

Jeonghan pouts. “What’s so good in books,”

“Everything,” Jisoo shoves his book to his bag.

“You sound so cheesy,” Jeonghan says. He pulls Jisoo’s hand and put his arms around Jisoo’s. “Let’s get something to eat,”

“The break is almost over,” Jisoo says as he let himself being dragged by Jeonghan out of the class.

“It’s because you’re busy with your book earlier, come on there’s still time,”

Jisoo is never going to say no anyway.

Jeonghan is all clingy to Jisoo all their way to the cafeteria. They’re in about the same height so Jeonghan had to bend a little to place his head on Jisoo’s shoulder as they walk. All eyes on them though no one protests. Might be because the new red hair Jeonghan has. They look like a couple, that cause people to make a second look to clearly see that it’s Jeonghan who is with Jisoo, not some random girl. Everyone knows Jisoo, of course, he got the first place in grades and he’s in the Eagle House. But Jeonghan is a well-known person too. He’s pretty and beautiful, and he’s the one people called the Goddess of the Peacock House. Though all the students in the Peacock House are called goddess, it’s originally for Jeonghan, because he’s indeed a goddess.

Jisoo sees one whispers to another. It’s him, it’s the goddess, they say. And something like, ‘I thought Jisoo’s with his girlfriend!’. Then everyone started to compliment his face. Jisoo doesn’t care. Even better, he feels like he owns Jeonghan. He smiles widely as he walks proudly with Jeonghan with him. Jisoo tightens his grip. Jeonghan do the same. No one can possibly break their hands clasp, not even hurricane can.

When they almost reach the cafeteria, Jeonghan stops. Jisoo automatically stops too. Jeonghan narrows his eyes as if he sees someone he knows. Jisoo follows Jeonghan’s eyes to a man standing on the school hall not far from them. He does looks familiar. When the person turns to their way, Jisoo widen his eyes, not realizing Jeonghan is doing the same. It is someone they know. And someone Jisoo doesn’t really want Jeonghan to meet.

“Jeonghan!” It’s Minhyuk.

Jisoo curses under his breath. He’s running towards them. What is that person doing in here?

Jisoo tenses for a brief second, his grip might hurt Jeonghan. But before the latter feel pain, the grip is loose and he saw Jeonghan excitedly runs to Minhyuk too. Jisoo’s hand suddenly feels cold. He feels empty and his heart beating faster. It hurts.

“Minhyuk! What are you doing here?" Jeonghan calls. He seems happy. Jisoo doesn’t like it.

“Ah I’ve been asking people if they know you, good thing you pass by,” Minhyuk smiles with his wide mouth showing almost all his teeth. “I came to see you,”

Jisoo knows, he’s asking for the answer of his confession.

“What is it?”

Jisoo bites his lips. He doesn’t know what to do, if he should came closer to Jeonghan and escort him away or just stay there listening to their conversation, or offering him to go to the cafeteria with them. The last option doesn’t sound fun. Scratch it.

“It’s.. ah!” Minhyuk suddenly points at Jisoo who isn’t far behind Jeonghan. “You must be Jisoo, hello!” he approaches Jisoo who stones by the sudden reaction. He shoves his hand to Jisoo’s and they’re shaking hand. “Nice to finally meeting you,”

“Uh, yeah, hello,” Jisoo says awkwardly.

“You’re Jeonghan best friend right? I heard a lot about you,”

Best friend. Wow, it's a sensitive word you're using right there mate. So what if they’re best friend? You think you had a chance with him or what? What’s the point of pointing that out loud? Jisoo doesn’t like it. He really wants to throw his shoes at his face. No, that’s rude. That’s not how Jisoo’s mother taught him. He nods instead. “Yeah,”

“Were you two going somewhere?” Minyhuk asks.

"Yes, we're about to get somerhing to eat," Jeonghan says unnecessarily hyped about it.

“Really? Can I talk to Jeonghan or a second first, Jisoo? Is it okay?”

Jisoo stares at Minhyuk for a second. No it’s not freaking okay. “Em sure, yes,” he need to punch himself later. I mean you really can’t, the break time is almost over. “Don’t be too long the break time is almost over,” shit.

Minhyuk gives him his very sincere smile and they go a bit further to make a distance from Jisoo, but still on Jisoo’s eyesight. And actually earshot too.

“So what’s your answer?” Minhyuk starts.

This guy is too blunt don’t you think. He just came like this and asks directly for his answer, not bother talking about anything else first. Well it’s a good thing because if he did so there’ll be no time and Jisoo would regret letting him borrow Jeonghan.

“Do you want to be my boyfriend?” he smiles super wide even the river less wider than that. Jisoo wants to puke.

“Ah that,” yes that. There’s a pause from Jeonghan.

Jisoo doesn’t turn his face to anywhere else. His eyes locks to Jeonghan. Jisoo is sure about what Jeonghan will answer. Though he’s still nervous about it. He gulps. Say no please say no.

“I’m sorry, Minhyuk,”

Jisoo blinkes many times hearing Jeonghan's answer. His eyes went to Minhyuk immediately. He can see disappointment from Minhyuk’s face as the latter pouts.

“Can it change?”

Jisoo’s eyes goes to Jeonghan’s.

“I don’t know,” Jeonghan answers. His face is incredibly calm. “I don’t think it might?"

Minhyuk sighs hard but he’s still smiling. Jisoo isn’t. “Can I know why? Is there someone you like already?”

It’s a nightmare if Jeonghan answer yes, because if so, Jisoo doesn’t think he’s the candidate. Jeonghan purely deem that Jisoo is his best friend. Good thing Jeonghan shakes his head.

"I don’t have the same feeling you had for me," Jeonghan answers.

“It’s still empty then, your heart,”

Yes. And Jisoo want to keep it that way.

"Then I still have hope,” Minhyuk says, he held both of Jeonghan’s hands. “Give me a change, I can make you love me,”

Jisoo grits his teeth.

“No, Minhyuk, I’d rather us to be friends,”

“But I really love you,” Minhyuk says. It’s burning Jisoo’s ear. “I can make you love me,”

He needs to stop him.

“I can make you happier more than you are now, Jeonghan,”

“I'm already the happiest,”

“Can I have one date at least?”

Jisoo has had enough.

"Jeonghan," Jisoo calls firmly, slowly walking towards them, decides to break it already. The two turn to Jisoo. “Sorry to cut your conversations, but the time-“

“One more minute,” Minhyuk says. “Please,” he drags Jeonghan away from Jisoo making Jisoo grabs Jeonghan’s wrist unconsciously hard to stop them. “No,”

The other two surprised by the action. Even Jisoo himself doesn’t expect he would do that. “There’s really no time anymore, Jeonghan hasn’t eat anything since morning,” there’s no way Jisoo let Minhyuk convinces Jeonghan more than he already is.

Minhyuk looks at Jisoo for a second and then his eyes go down to see Jisoo’s grip on Jeonghan’s hand. Then he’s back to meet Jisoo’s eye. “I see," he says as he let go off Jeonghan’s hand. Jisoo immediately pulls Jeonghan closer to him. Minhyuk stays quiet as Jeonghan tells Jisoo to let him go. He smiles to Jeonghan. "I understand your decision, Jeonghan,” Jisoo exchange firm look with him. “I guess I have to accept it,”

Jeonghan turns to him.

“Thankyou for your time, Jeonghan,” Minhyuk says, offering a smile for Jeonghan then he turns to Jisoo. “Sorry for taking Jeonghan too long, please feed him well,” Minhyuk says. “I’ll be going now, see you two around,” he adds before turning back and wave at them as he goes away.

Jisoo quietly snorts. "Come on Jeonghan,"

"Wait, Minhyuk!" Jeonghan pulls his hand away from Jisoo and goes to chase Minhyuk. But Minhyuk doesn’t turn back to the call. He keeps walking away further. Jisoo watches as Jeonghan stops his attempt on catching Minhyuk up. Jeonghan stays quiet as he watches Minhyuk’s back walking away.

“Jeonghan,” he calls as he approaches him. “Jeonghan come on, the break is almost over,” he slowly pulls Jeonghan away from the corridor.

Jisoo watches Jeonghan eyes Minhyuk’s back until it off from his eyesight as he let himself being dragged away to the cafeteria. Why is he acting like this? Jisoo quietly feels hurt. Minhyuk is the one who just got rejected, but why Jisoo feels hurt too. Should he feel guilty?

“Jeonghan?” he calls as Jeonghan already walks beside him without being dragged.

Jeonghan turns to him after a few second of silent. “Hm?” he’s smiling. Weakly. And Jisoo return the same smile.

“Jisoo,” Jeonghan calls too, finally walking by his own beside Jisoo. “I just reject someone’s love for me, I just break someone’s heart,” he taps his fingers. Then he wraps his arms around Jisoo’s arm. “But why do I feel so relieve?”

Jisoo didn’t know how to react with that

Then they hears an instrument song after the school bell, then a loud familiar voice through the intercom, “Good afternoon Mounteen High! It’s 12 o’clock and time for your beloved emcee Boo here to accompany your lunch!”

 

* * *

 

 

 

English final task is such a burden. Well it’s not really a burden if his partner is not the soccer captain. And it’s not really a burden if his partner at least tell him his number or to how to reach him.

Since the bell rang Seungkwan has rushed here and there to every class to search one person he swears he will forever hate. Vernon just left like that without telling him any information about him or how to contact him. The only information he got from Vernon is that the latter lives in the field. Unbelievable.

He went to second floor and third floor, asked here and there but there’s no sign of Vernon and all the people he asked only pointed here and there, but he still couldn’t find Vernon. Some says he’s on A class taking math class, some says he only take D class, and some says he never been in D class before. Maybe he does live in the field.

He checked the field too, for god sake, it’s still too early to practice if Vernon was really there. But no, Vernon was not in the field too. He’s nowhere to be found. He asked some people for Vernon’s phone number, but he just got mocked and pushed away. Why is everyone being so mean to him? Do they thought Seungkwan is interested in Vernon and think him as a rival? For god sake take him! Take him! He doesn’t need Vernon at all!

Screw him and his busy schedule, Seungkwan is late to broadcasting at lunch break thanks to that asshole! Why the fuck didn’t Vernon try to search him too or something?!

“Tomorrow at my dorm, see you later~” Seungkwan says mocking Vernon in a very unpleasing tone as he makes his way out of the broadcasting room. Heck he didn’t even know what house is Vernon’s dorm. Probably in Eagle House because he’s the soccer captain. But he might be in Lion House too consider not everyone knew where he is means he’s not that popular. What now? He expect Seungkwan to come knocking at each room and asking if it’s Vernon’s room? Seungkwan’s considering learning how to kick balls from Vernon later so he can kick Vernon's head with one to retrieve his anger.

Man he even skipped lunch to search him, but he’s nowhere to be seen. His stomach has been screaming since forever. Maybe there’s still time for a bread. It’s history class after this anyway, he can just skip it for once.

The cafeteria isn't that crowdy anymore, maybe because the lunch break is almost over, might as well as the food almost all gone. Thanks to a particular curly parted hair man Seungkwan only got peanut flavor bread that he least fancy. He grabs it from the tray and truns to find sit. The cafeteria it’s not that empty too, though, there’s still some guys here and there, filling the empty chairs randomly that Seungkwan has to look clearly for one. He's about walk to the empty sit he just found when he saw him across the room. Him! It's him! Chatting casually and laughing happily in the corner of the cafeteria! Seungkwan want to smack him with a chair. With no thinking he ran to the figure, feeling his blood being boiled.

“Vernon!" Seungkwan slams his bread to the table where Vernon sits. "Where have you been?! You're not here and there and not even in the field which you say you should always be! And not even one person from your class knows where you are! For crying out loud! Does anyone ever know your schedule or something? And the lunch broadcasting was late thanks to you! I went to search you right when the bell rang through the second and third floor! I even asked your phone number but heck everyone being a jerk over it!" he pauses to catch his breath. "Why the hell didn’t you try to search me like what I did?!"

Vernon seems surprises. “Uh what? Can you repeat whatever you’re saying?”

Seungkwan wants to stab him with a knife.

"But simpler and quieter please," Vernon adds.

Seungkwan want to explode. "Why the hell didn’t you try to contact me, asshole?!”

“Someone’s got a temper,” come a voice from behind, and Seungkwan turns immediately.

“Hello,” Vernon’s friends, Seungcheol, waves his hand in a cute way yet displeasing to the eye, while Mingyu smiling wide showing his canine teeth beside him.

Seungkwan aghast he almost forgot to breath.

“You got one frisky fan here Vernon,” Mingyu says as he starts playing with his straw.

“Fan?” Seungkwan back to his sense hearing what Mingyu says. “Fan?!” he shouts in disbelief.

Vernon laughs. Seungkwan want to blow up.

He walks away from the table stomping his feet.

"Hey, wait come on," Vernon immediately gets up and grabs his hand stopping him. He’s grinning. "Is getting mad your hobby or something?"

Seungkwan swears he never really hated anyone like this at this rate.

“I was just about to text you, I just got your number,” Vernon says.

Screw him. Screw English class. Seungkwan lets go Vernon’s grip and walks away again.

“Boo Seungkwan,” Vernon calls while still attempts on walking beside him.

"What do you want?" Seungkwan stops and turns to Vernon.

Vernon raises his eyebrows. “You came to me first and haven’t finished your words, so,” he lift his shoulder too.

Seungkwan can’t hate him more than he already is for real. Why are they partners? Why it has to be him? What did he do so wrong to deserve such a curse. "Why the fuck are we partners," he mumbles to himself.

"Language pretty boy, I didn’t even curse as much as you," Vernon laughs. "Is that your hobby too?"

"No. Only around you,"

“Don’t be so serious,” Vernon playfully nudges him by his arm. “I’m sorry that you can’t find me everywhere, I can’t find myself too if I were you,”

Seungkwan is screaming inside. Does he think he’s funny or what?

“I’m in Eagle House, okay, room number 203, just knock and come in,” Vernon says. “I’ll text you later,”

“Text me now,” Seungkwan demands. He doesn’t want to go here and there again to ask for his number if he forgot to text him. Being in one group with him is tiring enough. "Right now," he repeats when Vernon didn’t do anything.

Vernon gives him a weird look but he texts him immediately anyway, taking his phone from his pocket and start typing. "Done,"

"Good. Now after you finish your practice today you can text me and let me know if you're at your dorm already," Seungkwan says. "Now excuse me I got things to do,"

Vernon chuckles. “Alright,”

Seungkwan doesn’t turn to him anymore as he walks out of the cafeteria. Vernon drives him crazy, he want to throw himself from a cliff. He does sound like a maniac fan earlier, for those who don’t know that they’re English partner. Then again, almost all of them don’t know it. Seungkwan cries, why it has to be him.

The bell rang and history class awaits. And here Seungkwan walking to his class alone, mourning his misery with empty stomach. His thought is on the peanut bread he left on Vernon’s table for the rest of the day.

He takes out his phone and checks Vernon’s message.

From unknown: ‘Boo :*’

Seungkwan tries so hard to refrain himself from deleting the message.


	3. Coincidence is Fate

“Jiwon texted me where and when to meet,”

"Hm," Seungcheol hums as he lower his head to aim his cue stick the ball number twelve to the side pocket. It’s 8pm and Seungcheol decided it’s a billiard night. They’re at their usual bar having a little drink and enjoy billiard. Well, actually only Seungcheol enjoys it. They’re at their 9th round and Seungcheol won 8 times already.

“Tomorrow at 3 in a café,” Doyoon continues as the ball goes straight to the hole.

Seungcheol aims again at ball number 9 now, ducking his body and shut his one eyes. Almost all his balls already pocketed. He might win this round too. Well that’s what happens if you had your father asked you to accompany him playing billiard every time he’s drunk. Seungcheol knows everything to play a good game out of it. Seungcheol never loses. He takes a deep breath and strikes his cue to the ball and the ball rolls to hit ball number 7, it slides and stops near the middle pocket. Seungcheol motions Doyoon to take his turn.

“Answer me,” Doyoon says as he moves to the other said of the pool while looking around searching for his next targets.

“No,” Seungcheol says stiffly. “I don’t want to meet him, and you won’t be meeting him too,” Some guy accidentally hit Doyoon while walking, almost get his drink spilled out. Seungcheol glares at him as he walk pass without saying sorry. Some manners to have these days. He rolls his eyes.

Doyoon sighs. “Don’t be so childish Seungcheol, it might be just a short hello and all the friendly talks,” then he moves to ball 4 which places dangerously close to the ball 8.

Seungcheol puts his both hand on his cue stick then he rest his head on it, as he watches Doyoon aiming his cue stick to the ball. “Don’t aim that, you’ll lose,”

Doyoon doesn’t listen.

“I won’t go,” Seungcheol says as Doyoon hit the ball. “You can’t insist me, I won’t go even if you ask me to marry you,” Doyoon gives him a disdainful look. The ball hit the 8 ball strongly and the 8 ball goes straight to the side pocket. “See what I told you?” The game ends, Doyoon just lose. Again.

“I will go,” Doyoon says placing his cue stick on its place, avoiding people passing by. “You can’t insist me not too. I will go even if you threaten me to not marry me,”

Seungcheol laughs amused. He chalks the tip of his cue. “Why you so eager to meet him anyway?” he asks. He actually feels afraid of his boyfriend’s will to meet Bobby.

“I’m curious,”

“Of what?” Seungcheol eyes Doyoon as the latter takes a sit on the chair beside the cue place. “You’re done playing?”

“Yeah, it’s enough Seungcheol, we have class tomorrow,” Doyoon says as he put his watch back on his hand. It’s still weird for Seungcheol that Doyoon has to take off his watch whenever they play billiard. He told him that the watch didn’t interfere the game, Doyoon won’t listen. Actually, when did Doyoon ever listen?

“We usually skips morning class!”

“No, only you,”

Seungcheol sighs. “Come on, billiard is fun,”

“Billiard isn’t that fun,” That’s because he always loses. Doyoon stands up and takes his and seungcheol’s bag with him. “Let’s go back,” He hands him his bag.

“I'm going to play some more,” Seungcheol puts his bag down on the pool table beside his cue stick and pulls Doyoon closer to him, both hands goes around Doyoon’s waist. “Can you please not go?”

Doyoon sends a resigned smile. “It won’t be that bad, it’s just Jiwon,”

“ _It is_ Kim Jiwon,” Seungcheol says exasperated. “Don’t you understand my concern here? Moreover with your will to meet him that much?”

A waiter come to their pool table and arrange the billiard balls again in triangle. Doyoon shrugs as the waiter send them a look before flying off again. Seungcheol doesn’t seem to care. “Have you forgotten what he did to us? What he did to you?”

Doyoon makes a face. “It’s really long ago Seungcheol don’t bring that up,” he says as he loosen Seungcheol’s grip around his waist. “I’m still going, it’s okay if you don’t want to come,”

Seungcheol sends him a concede look and still hold Doyoon’s around his arms. “Don’t go,” he says putting a little more pressure in his words. “I’m worried, okay?”

Doyoon doesn’t reply and he’s just smiling. They exchanges meaningful stares to each other for another minutes before Doyoon tries to loosen Seungcheol’s grip again. Seungcheol knows it’s his time to give in. He sighs as his one hand caress Doyoon’s hair, then he kisses Doyoon’s forehead. “Careful on the way, I’ll see you tomorrow,”

Doyoon nods and then start walking away from the place. Seungcheol watches him goes further and further until he disappear from eyesight. He lets out a long sighs.

Jiwon was his friend, their friend. The three of them had been close friends since elementary. They always spent time together every day, played a lot, fought a lot too. Jiwon was a strong kid at that time, strong personality too where he overpower Seungcheol in any situation. Even though they fought a lot, they were always there for each other, helping each other and keeping each other’s back safe.

They grew apart in Junior high, when Doyoon found out Jiwon’s feeling towards him. They’d been busy with their own activity back then and they rarely spent time together again. Doyoon didn’t say anything when he found out, Jiwon didn’t want them to know anyway. Everything still says as before every time they together, until one day when Seungcheol walked in on Jiwon's confession to Doyoon. That day was the day of their biggest fight ever. Because turned out Seungcheol had the same feeling towards Doyoon. When the fight was stopped by the teachers, they left without saying anything. Everything isn’t the same anymore. They never spent time together again after that, not even talking to each other again. Jiwon asked for the answer of his confession one day in spring, and Doyoon rejected. Jiwon took it in a bad way, he got mad and start harassing Doyoon, even stealing his first kiss. Doyoon came cried to Seungcheol and in the same day Seungcheol confessed to him. Doyoon accepted it right away. Seungcheol came to Jiwon and they had another fight where this time Doyoon sided with Seungcheol. After that Jiwon never appeared again, not in school not in the neighbourhood, not anywhere. Until yesterday he made a call to meet them both out of nowhere.

Seungcheol rejected, of course, but Doyoon found it amusing and agreed to meet him. Seungcheol hates how his boyfriend being so eager to meet Jiwon. He’s afraid. Jiwon had ever harassed Doyoon once, there’s no guarantee that he won’t be doing it again. But then again, Doyoon is strong now, he bet if the two went to a one on one combat Doyoon will win in a mere second. But that if it’s involve physically fights. But what if it’s not about it? What if it’s not about what Jiwon will do to Doyoon? What if it’s about what Doyoon will do? What if Doyoon want to meet Jiwon because he really wants it? What if it includes what happen between the two? He wouldn’t change his answer for Jiwon years ago, would he? Seungcheol shakes his head furiously. This only gives him headache.

Seungcheol practically plays alone for another three rounds until he’s bored and decided to stop and buy some drinks. He leaves the billiard room and goes to the main room of the bar, where the pounding bass of the enhanced sound systems and hollering of the rowdy crowd permeated the air, where bass vibrating the ground and the music is a little bit too loud to avoid as people are grinding and dancing to it. After a few drinks he joins the bustling crowd on the dance floor and couldn’t bring himself to care about anything.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Jeonghan had never gone to bar before, not even touching any alcohol ever. He didn’t intend on going out at late night, but who knows if Minhyuk would appear in front of his dorm suddenly crying and all, asking for a second chance and asked him to go out with him. Jeonghan declined at first but the crying got louder and he said Jeonghan could at least accompany him just one night for an hour or more, and Jeonghan, somehow feeling a bit guilty, agreeing. He thought they were going to just take a walk and talk but Minhyuk brought him there. He said drinks help his broken heart.

The first step he takes into the place, Jeonghan already feels dizzy. The music blasting too loud for his poor ear to handle, the cigarettes smokes that covers the thick air and it’s too crowded for Jeonghan. Minhyuk grabs his hand and drags him further through the bustling crowd. They keep moving until they’re out of the wall of the crowd to the bartender.

Jeonghan stays there like a lost puppy, avoiding people passing by while Minhyuk talks to the bartender.

“Here,” Minhyuk shoves a bottle to Jeonghan a little bit enforcing. Jeonghan receives it. “Drink it,” Minhyuk says as he has one for himself and consume it until its empty. He asks for another bottle to the man again.

“I don’t drink,” Jeonghan says as he put the bottle on the table, receiving a weird look from the bartender. Minhyuk laughs.

“Come on it won’t kill you,” he says as he put his arm around Jeonghan’s shoulder and shoves him the bottle.

Jeonghan can’t take the sting smell of alcohol. He doesn’t want to drink it so he pushes the bottle back to Minhyuk again.

“One glass at least,” Minhyuk pouts as he pour the liquor from the bottle to a small glass and hand it to Jeonghan. “I promise I won’t come to you again after this,”

Okay, maybe it’s okay. It won’t kill him right? Minhyuk would never harm him anyway. One glass. Jeonghan slowly drink it, feeling obligated. Minhyuk cheers for that.

Jeonghan groans as he put the empty glass to the table, which immediately is poured with liquor again by Minhyuk. He suddenly feels his head feeling so heavy and his body feels hot.

“You sure are really weak with liquor,” Minhyuk comments loudly through the blasting music. “It’s okay it’s your first time, you’re doing great,” he says patting him in the back. “It’s like that at first but you’ll feel good later,”

“Wonho hyung told me if you started to feel dizzy you should drink some more,” he top up the liquor from Jeonghan’s glass to his throat before giving the rest in the bottle to Jeonghan. “Drink some more, your head will stop spinning,”

“No, ugh, I feel dizzy,” Jeonghan says leaning on the table.

“I swear it will stop,”

To this, Jeonghan doesn’t think anymore and accepts it, putting too much trust on Minhyuk. As he drinks the whole bottle he starts to regrets it. He groans as his head feels heavier than before.

Minhyuk laughs. He asked for another one to the bartender before grabbing Jeonghan’s arm again. “Come on, let’s go to the dance floor and have fun!”

Feeling all too hot and dizzy, Jeonghan is dragged again to the middle of the dancing crowd. Jeonghan barely recognize anyone but Minhyuk is dancing in front of him, having too good of a time dancing with him and random strangers. Jeonghan is beginning to feel the alcohol take effect, in combination with the charged air he was beginning to feel euphoria take the edge off his sense. He started to feel the music, let his head fall back and closing his eyes as he let Minhyuk move his body here and there to the music.

Opening his eyes suddenly, Jeonghan leant forward feeling a lot dizzier and all too hot. Minhyuk seeing him lean forwards, shouting over the music, “You okay? Wanna go to the middle?”

Jeonghan shakes his head furiously but Minhyuk still drags him away anyway. The two passes the crowd, going straight to the middle of the dance floor. Jeonghan refuses midway and lets go Minhyuk’s hand off him trying to leave the crowd. Stumbling his way through the throng, Jeonghan shakes his head trying to get rid of the dizziness. Only succeeding in making himself stumbles forward out of the wall of the crowd and straight into someone.

Looking up from his place leaning heavily on the stranger who had luckily caught him. The stranger looks down at him in bemusement from beneath his white snapback, his soft eyes sparkling with amusement. “You? What are you doing here?”

Knowing he looks dumb with his mouth hanging open he snaps it shut as he blinks slowly adjusting the face once again and he feels familiar but Jeonghan couldn’t figure out who. The stranger seems knows him though. He hears Minhyuk’s shouting his name over the music. Jeonghan grabs the stranger’s clothes clutching it with his both hands. “Take me back home, please,” he says trying to get a grip on himself. The stranger gives him a weird look before Jeonghan feels someone’s hand on his shoulder and pulls him away from the stranger.

“Come on Jeonghan,” Minhyuk says dragging him back to the crowd.

“I want to go home,” Jeonghan says still feeling really dizzy, he cant stand the loud music.

Minhyuk sighs in front of him and drag him to the side of the crowd, back to the bar, still holding the bottle from earlier. “I was just trying to have fun here because I’m having a heartbreak,” he sips the liquor from the bottle and hands it to Jeonghan. “Here,”

Jeonghan shakes his head in between his dizziness. “Please, I cant take it, it makes me feel dizzy,”

“Me too at first, but it wont after a few more,” Minhyuk says reassuring but Jeonghan knows he cant handle even one small glass. “Alright let’s go back home, you’re no fun anyway,” Minhyuk says finally. “But only if you drink one bottle more, come on,”

And before Jeonghan knows what he’s doing, he shoves the drink to his throat, feeling the want of getting out of there immediately. As he puts the bottle down, he looks around and everything is spinning. “Ugh! My head hurts,” he says as he lean forward, his head meets Minhyuk’s shoulder.

“I guess you really cant handle it,” Minhyuk says. Jeonghan doesn’t catch that as he feels himself falling to Minhyuk’s embrace. “Get me home,” Jeonghan demands.

“Exactly what I'm going to do,”

As he feels Minhyuk’s hand on him trying to get him up, he feels another hand grabbing his hand. “No, I’m going to take him from here,” Jeonghan looks up and the stranger’s familiar face come into view again.

He hears protest from Minhyuk but the stranger pull Jeonghan away from Minhyuk. The stranger’s body is bigger than Minhyuk and slightly taller, Minhyuk starts to shout and protest, but Jeonghan didn’t seem too knows what happen next, because the next time he opens his eyes, he’s sitting on a wooden chair, somewhere unfamiliar but peacefully quiet, head leaning on someone’s shoulder.

He raises his head and let out a groans as the dizziness start coming in again.

“Slowly there, dude,”

Jeonghan turns and he sees the stranger again. However he recognizes who it is this time. It’s Seungcheol. The guy from his school that everyone’s talk about.

“That was quiet a drama back there,” he says. “You’re lucky you bumped into me, or god knows what would happen if he brought you home,”

Jeonghan squints his eyes. “He who?” He looks around and they're at some bus stop near the parking lot, somehow really unfamiliar. He doesn't know where they are. He blinks a couple times again trying to get rid of the dizziness as he remember something. “Where’s Minhyuk?”

“The guy from earlier? You still ask for him after what he did to you?”

Jeonghan pushes the stranger’s body and sits on his own. “Don’t shout to my ears! Why are you shouting?”

Seungcheol sighs and gets up from his sit. “Come on I’ll drive you to Peacock House,”

“How do you know I’m from Peacock House?”

"With face that beauty who can’t tell?" Seungcheol says. “Just kidding, who doesn’t know you, you’re Jeonghan,” he adds before Jeonghan could response. “Can you walk? My car is near here,”

“Yes,” Jeonghan answers and suddenly feel the scent of alcohol. "Ugh why are you so smell I can’t stand you,"

"It’s _your_ smell," Seungcheol says and helps Jeonghan to stand up.

Jeonghan can’t walk properly, Seungcheol struggles getting a drunk Jeonghan into his car. Jeonghan ends up getting in the back sit, in lying position, mumbling gibberish every time the car meets any speed bumps. Jeonghan pukes half way to the Peacock House and Seungcheol’s car is a mess. Seungcheol is loud and Jeonghan collapse after that. Jeonghan haven't even told Seungcheol what number his room is.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

Mingyu throws his phone to Seungcheol’s bed. Wonwoo hasn’t answered his call since yesterday. The last time Wonwoo text him was today’s morning, when he told Mingyu that he won’t be attending class today. He assured Mingyu that he’s fine, his mom just need him for a day. But it’s already the next day, according to the clock that shows it’s 1 o’clock in the morning. And Wonwoo hasn’t apprise him anymore. He sighs as he turns around under his blanket and glowering his phone on Seungcheol’s bed. Wonwoo isn't in trouble is he?

He’s about to forget it and sleep when he hears the pounding sound from the door rather harshly. Man, Seungcheol need to learn how to knock quietly in the middle of the night, moreover, doesn’t he has his own key why the hell doesn’t he open the door himself. Mingyu covers his head with his blanket.

“For god sake, asshole, help me open the door!” Mingyu hears Seungcheol’s shout from behind the door.

Mingyu groans and jumps out of his bed to open the door. “What the fuck— whoa!” Seungcheol shoves the door aside as soon as the door opens. He carries someone on his both hands.

"Make way," Seungcheol pushes pass Mingyu and goes straight to his bed, dropping the man on it.

The sting smell attacks Mingyu’s nose as Seungcheol drops the man to his bed. “Ergh! You went drinking? I thought you’ve stopped drinking!” he covers his nose. He widen his eyes when he recognizes the man on Seungcheol’s bed. "Is that Jeonghan? Oh my god you made him drunk and brought him home? I thought you're better than this!"

Seungcheol throws him his shoes. "Shut up,” he takes off his clothes and goes to the bathroom.

Mingyu wavers to the sleeping Jeonghan, head and one hand hanging on the edge of the bed. Mingyu pushes him further to the middle of the bed that soon regrets it because he threw his phone to the middle earlier. Great.

"He threw up in my car," Seungcheol says from the bathroom.

"Ew, that’s disgusting," Mingyu gives a disdainful look to no one in particular. "You went drinking with him?" he tries to search his phone under Jeonghan’s body but couldn’t find it. He gives up and examines Jeonghan’s face instead. How can one have such a beautiful face like that even after he’s drunk and threw up? Is this guy a human?

"His friend forced him to get drunk, a jerk,” Seungcheol says walking out of the bathroom with towels around his neck and wet hair.

“You forced Vernon to get drunk too once, you’re a jerk too,”

“Yeah but I don’t bring Vernon home after that, this guy’s friend almost did,” Seungcheol says. “Taking advantage from drunk people isn’t my style,”

“Perks on having a beautiful face,” Mingyu chimes in sarcasm and sends the sleeping Jeonghan a pity look.

“He collapsed before telling me his room so,” he raises his shoulder.

"I can ask someone for you," Mingyu says retreating from Seungcheol’s bed and jumps to his own bed, covers himself under his blanket, half sitting, both arms on his stomach. “I can call someone from Peacock House and ask for Jeonghan’s room,”

Seungcheol raises an eyebrow. "Who? Yeri? You think she wants to pick your call up after what you've done to her?"

Mingyu frowns to the sudden accusation. "What have I done to her?"

"You dumped her for Wonwoo, you left her," Seungcheol takes two beverages from the refrigerator.

Mingyu gasps. “Dude! I didn’t leave anyone for Wonwoo, from the first time it’s always Wonwoo!”

Seungcheol rolls his eyes. “Yeah and what’s with first date with yeri and first time fucking a girl you’re telling me over and over again before Wonwoo moved back in,” he throws one to Mingyu that he barely catches.

“Ew, right,” Mingyu hisses. “I’m totally gay,”

Seungcheol ignores him and drinks his cola. Mingyu follows him.

“What you gonna do with him?” he asks.

“Let him sleep, wake him up the next morning and send him back to his dorm,” Seungcheol says.

“Wow such an angel,” Mingyu says not a slight sincere in his words. “Do you think Doyoon should know?”

Seungcheol raises both eyebrow. “Why? Does this has anything to do with him?”

Mingyu sends him a weird look before raises his shoulder. “Nah, I don’t care, I’m just going to sleep now,” he says putting his cola near his bed and covers his head with his blanket.

“Yeah, share your bed with me,” Seungcheol says and before Mingyu could protest Seungcheol already jumps on the bed beside him that got Mingyu chocked under the blanket. It’s a long night and Mingyu couldn't sleep because Seungcheol snores so loud in his ear.

 

 

 


	4. Should We Be Friends?

* * *

 

Jisoo woken up to the sound of his ringing phone. He blinks a couple times before lifts his head. Doyoon seem to be still asleep. He looks at the clock. It’s six in the morning. Who calls him so early in the morning? He takes his phone and sees the name on it. It’s Soonyoung. He picks the call up, one hand support his chest up. "Soonyoung?”

"Hey can you pass your phone to Jeonghan? He left his phone here and I need to talk to him right now,"

Jisoo furrows his eyebrow. Is this person has gone mad?

"No, he's sane enough to not come to other's room so early in the morning isn't he," Jisoo said.

"He’s not staying the night at yours?"

Jisoo blinks. "Huh?"

There’s a pause from Soonyoung before he says again, "He didn’t come home last night, i thought he's with you,"

Jisoo suddenly fully awake, lifting his body to a sit position. "He went out last night? And you're not with him?"

There’s a hint of hesitation in Soonyoung’s response and Jisoo couldn’t help but frown even more. "His friend came to pick him up last night, he said he won’t be back, he’ll go to your place and stay the night at yours after that,”

"His friend?" This doesn’t sound good.  

"Jeonghan said it’s Minhyuk,"

Crap.

Jisoo hang up the call and rushes up from his bed and grab his jacket.

"Jisoo? Where are you going?" Heard his roommate's voice from under the blanket as he open his door room.

"Searching someone,”  

* * *

 

Wonwoo stands up and walks to the large window of the second floor of his house from the kitchen. He brings his coffee in one hand. It’s raining right now, the sky is so dark Wonwoo almost forget that it’s already morning. He finds that he’s not alone. Minghao sits on the sofa in front of the window, staring blankly outside the window. Wonwoo hesitates for a second but he doesn’t want to go down to the living room just to avoid the latter, though, it’s his favorite part of the house. Of _his_ house.

He slowly approaches the sofa and sit quietly, but Minghao notices anyway, he moves aside and gives space for Wonwoo to sit. They sit deadly awkward with each other avoiding eye contact. Wonwoo notices Minghao had one cup of a coffee too.

“Awake because of the storm?” Minghao finally breaking the ice.

Wonwoo nods. Actually no, he hasn’t sleep.

“It’s been raining since 4 am,”

“I know,” he leans back to the sofa and stares outside the window. It’s not that he can’t sleep, suddenly awake or insomnia or something. He’s sleepy, he’s deadly tired, but he didn’t want to sleep. He wants to wait for his parents. Seeing how Minghao is still awake too makes him doesn’t want to lose even more.

He puts his own mug on the table, having lost any desire to drink his coffee and leans back into the soft cushions of the sofa.

As he looks up, he notices that his dad already stands there, has opens the window completely, letting the humid rainy air into the room.

Suddenly he turns around and walks to the room before appear again with Mingyu’s sleeping body on his both hand, walking back to the window. His dad’s face was furious as he looks deeply into Wonwoo’s eyes.

“I’m sorry son but I have a better future for you,”

Before Wonwoo could react, his dad turns back towards the window and throw Mingyu outside the window to his death. Then everything turns dark.

A devastating scream left Wonwoo’s lips as he grip onto something, clenching it hard.

“h-hyung!”

Wonwoo’s eyes flashes open instantly. He sees Minghao’s painful face beside him. Then he sees his hand gripping Minghao’s a little far too tight.

He blinks many times realizing he was just having a nightmare.

Wonwoo lets go his grip immediately. Minghao sure is glad with that and he starts rubbing his hand, before then looking at Wonwoo.

“You’re okay?” he asks in a gentle tone. "What happen?"

Wonwoo doesn't answer, trying to get back to his sense and calm his breath down. “What time is it?” he turns his head around searching for the clock suddenly forget where it places.

“Half past six,” Minghao says. There’s a long pause, Wonwoo looks baffled, then Minghao ask again. “Are you okay?”

Wonwoo takes a deep breath. He doesn’t answer Minghao and just stay silent in his sit.

“I think you should sleep, hyung, you look really tired,” he says worrying. Wonwoo just look down without answering. “It’ll be okay, I’ll wake you up when they’re back,” Minghao says again assuring.

Wonwoo hates it. Wonwoo hates him.

He just knew Minghao yesterday. Minghao suddenly appeared with his dad in his house when he arrived at home. Wonwoo was confused at first because they didn’t introduce the kid to him even until dinner. Minghao seems like a nice guy, though, he spent the afternoon with Minghao in front of the TV. They’re barely talk but Wonwoo found out that he’s Chinese.

The atmosphere is always thick in his house, especially when his dad was around. His mom and dad already divorced for two years now, having his dad there is always weird since then. At least there’s no fights. Wonwoo always hate if his dad came and pick a fight with his mom, even with him. He’s okay if they’re not talking in the house, in the thick atmosphere, as long as there’s no fights. Well, that’s until dinner time.

Minghao was finally introduced at dinner. As his step brother. Wonwoo was so shock when his mother muttered the word. Minghao might just found out that time too because Minghao shock expression didn’t escape him. His dad continued with the explanation with a stern look but Wonwoo already toned him down long to think with his own world. His eyes locked to Minghao who shared the scared look with him but Wonwoo returned the look with his angry look. His divorced parents just got him a stepbrother. A _chinese_ stepbrother. Isn’t that the loveliest thing in the world? Not legally a stepbrother anyway, one from the father and one from the mother, and the couple already divorced. Wonwoo couldn’t believe what he has just heard. That means his father adopt a child. _That,_ if he _adopt_ Minghao. What if it’s his son by blood? That’s worse because Minghao is just one year younger than him, which means when Wonwoo was still an embryo, Minghao was one too! And if he’s a _step_ brother, that means he’s not the son from his mother. That means his father has been having an affair since even before he was born!

Wonwoo couldn’t take that fact and start letting out his anger. When his dad stopped explaining, left the questions in Wonwoo’s head hanging he started to speak indignantly, demanding more explanation for his questions. His dad started to scold him as Wonwoo talked back in every sentences he let out. They started debating and the atmosphere became thick and thicker. In short the dinner room filled with shouts and yells and screams. His dad even attempted on hitting him but his mom prevented it. It switched with his parents started yelling to each other. Wonwoo was so mad he left the room and went to his bed, slamming his door so loud and cried himself to sleep.

The next day when he woke up his dad wasn’t in the house, but Minghao still, and his mother’s sobbing didn’t stop the whole night. He didn’t go to school and accompany his mom that day. He ignored Minghao, he didn’t want to talk to him not even sending look to him. He’s too angry to accept him as his stepbrother.

When the afternoon came, his dad came bringing home a Chinese lady with him. Wonwoo wanted to explode but Minghao ran to her immediately and hug her tightly. Wonwoo didn’t say anything as he held tight his mother hand watching the scene. As he examined the chinese lady, he acknowledge how she really looks like Minghao. It’s his mother. Wonwoo’s heart broke.

They had a conversation that afternoon, a calmer one, before then they decided to leave the house for a further conversation, leaving Wonwoo and Minghao alone in the house. They’ll be back, they said. Sooner. Don’t wait, they said. And it left Minghao and Wonwoo not sleeping until the next day. They haven’t back yet.

“I won’t sleep,” says Wonwoo, not only wanting to stay awake until they’re back, but fearing he might be taken back to his nightmares. He has bad days enough, the nightmare doesn’t help a bit. The fact that he has to deal with things in his house make him didn’t go to school and couldn’t meet Mingyu make him feels even worse.

Minghao nods. There’s a brief silent between the two before Minghao breaks it again. “Hyung,” he calls. “I just found out too, you know,” he says quietly.

Wonwoo doesn’t answer.

“It’s unfair for you, but it’s unfair for me too,” Minghao continues. “You can’t mad at me and my mother for breaking your family apart, because in fact you and your mother did that too,”

Wonwoo slams his hand to the sofa. Minghao startles but he keeps his face calm.

“Are you saying that you deserve the happy family with my dad?” Wonwoo grits his teeth. “And my mother and I ruined it?”

“Aren’t you thinking the same to me and my mother?”

Wonwoo closes his mouth.

“We don’t know what’s right, we can just guessing what was actually happening, how the chronologis, but they won’t be telling us anytime soon,” Minghao says again.

“But we deserve some explanation!” Wonwoo says exasperated.

Minghao smiles, he looks into his eyes and Wonwoo return the same look. Then Wonwoo finally gives in to his sense. They’re in the same boat. Both of them feel the same feeling. They’re both feeling their heart breaks. Wonwoo takes a deep breath.

“They won’t be coming home anytime soon,” Wonwoo says finally accepting their fate. It’s no use waiting like that. He just put himself in more and more misery.

He stands up and goes to take his phone from his room. There’s plenty of miss calls and messages, almost all of it from Mingyu. If not, then it’s from his noisy roommate. He goes back to Minghao while scrolling down Mingyu’s texts. “I’m going back to dorm,” he says finally before lower his hand to look at Minghao.

“Sure,” Minghao replies. “I can wait them here alone,”

Wonwoo narrows his eyebrow, half feeling guilty for leaving him alone, half feeling mad because that statement just stated he loses to Minghao.

“You can come with me,” he says again gaining full attention from Minghao now.

“Can I?” Minghao asks. “What about the house-“

“It can protect itself,”

Minghao looks confused. “Then what about my mom?”

 _I don’t know. What about her. Not my business._ Wonwoo hold the urge to say it. “Tell her you’re with me, she can pick you up in my school later,” he asnwers. “Or tell your dad,” his sarcasm doesn’t escape him.

“Stop it, hyung,” Minghao cuts. “Don’t make me look like a bad guy here, we’re both victim,” he adds giving him a languid look.

Wonwoo bites his lips. “I’m sorry,” he says although there’s only a small sincere in it. “I’m serious about telling you to come with me though,” he says again. “We’re brothers anyway, whether we want it or not, let’s just go with it,”

Minghao let out a small smile and Wonwoo can’t help but returns one. “Okay, I’m going with you,”

“I need to call someone first,”

Wonwoo doesn’t really know if his decision was right, but their parents haven’t back yet and he doesn’t want to pity himself further, so he just gonna find himself his mood maker. He wants to meet Mingyu. Bringing Minghao with him might make it easier to tell Mingyu the whole story. His parents gave him a stepbrother he should just go with it as well as enjoying it even though he hate it so much. Minghao us nice anyway. Everything might be alright. Everything have to be alright.

He takes a deep breath before dialing the number, looking at the clock on the way. It’s already past seven. Mingyu might already in class.

* * *

 

Vernon opens his eyes to the sound of his alarm. He groans as he turns to his left and turn off the alarm. He rolls around his bed. His body starting to feel the effect of yesterday’s practice. Who knows the soccer couple legend appear yesterday and replace the coach that couldn’t attend the practice yesterday? Xiumin and Luhan back with a whole new method of practicing, even Vernon barely catch up. They are his seniors that already graduated, now taking their way to the national soccer team without going to college. Well, they’re really good in soccer, being in the team can guarantee their future already. He’s glad they still care about they’re juniors, but it’s just they brought their practice method in the national team into his team which is a deadly method that no one can barely stand up in both feet after the practice end.

He feels his feet a little bit heavier than usually and he peeks from his position to his feet. He’s still wearing his soccer shoes. Vernon lift his chest a bit with his hand and found himself still wearing yesterday’s clothes. Man he slept in a sweaty clothes. He gives up on standing up, feeling his back really sore and just want to lay around for another minutes. He looks at his watch and it’s quarter to seven now. Another half hour and the class is started. Vernon grumbles on his bed. He needs to get ready now. Or he’ll be late for english class.

Wait.

Vernon raises his head immediately and widen his eyes. He storms out of his bed and grabs his phone on the table. His eyes gets even wider when he saw the screen. Twelve missed calls and seven messages. All from one person. Exactly who.

Boo Seungkwan.

Shit.

He opens the messages.

**From: Boo Seungkwan**

‘What time your soccer practice finish?’

**From: Boo Seungkwan**

‘Your friend say the soccer practice already ended I’m going to your place in fifteen minutes. Pick up my calls’

**From: Boo Seungkwan**

‘I’m in front of ur room hello are u not here’

**From: Boo Seungkwan**

‘Ur neighbor said u already back! Where the hell r u’

**From: Boo Seungkwan**

‘Earth to Vernon!!!! Pick up my calls!!!’

**From: Boo Seungkwan**

‘Earth to Vernon!!!! Earth to Vernon!!!! Earth to Vernon!!!! Earth to VERNON!!!’

**From: Boo Seungkwan**

‘Maybe ur planet have exploded or smth, which is great!!!asdf&@#g thankyou for wasting Boo Seungkwan’s precious time.’

 

Vernon facepalm himself being so stupid forgetting his schedule to work on English task. Thanks for two super kind senior and their hell of practicing method, Vernon was too tired to do anything after he arrived at his room. He just threw himself on his bed and in a mere second he’s asleep.

He tries to dial the number but it came straight to the mailbox. He doesn’t even know what house Seungkwan is in. If they meet at the class then he will be screwed up because by that time Seungkwan might already ask the teacher to change partner, if it’s possible. He storms in to the bathroom and get ready to class, hoping he can meet Seungkwan on the way before it’s too late.

Luck be with him, when he arrives in front of the school gate he sees Seungkwan walking down the street on his way to his class too. Vernon immediately comes running in to him. “Seungkwan! Seungkwan!”

He sees Seungkwan looks around to the voice then when he sees Vernon he fasten his walk. “Wait!”

Now Seungkwan is running. God what is he doing! Vernon fasten his running to catch him up, ignoring the look everyone gives to them running in early morning. “Seungkwan wait!” he grabs Seungkwan hand when he catches him up.

“Aw it hurts!” Seungkwan yelps as he stops running and pulls his hand away. “What do you want?”

“Why are you running?” Vernon says trying to catch his breath.

“Am not,” Seungkwan shakes his head. “That’s just how I walk,”

He’s totally running though. Cute.

“I’m sorry about yesterday,” Vernon says offering a guilty look.  

Seungkwan clamps his mouth for a second before saying, “What about yesterday?”

“I fell asleep yesterday I didn’t open my phone-“

“You were inside the whole time?”

“I was too tired, the practice is hell I didn’t mean to sleep,” Vernon defenses himself.

Seungkwan scoffs and crosses his hands. “Yeah it doesn’t matter anyway, I’m changing partner”

“What? No! I already said I didn’t mean too!” Vernon protests.  

“But I waited for an hour!” Seungkwan guff. “If I know you were sleeping I shouldn’t have come and have my own beautiful sleep!”

“I was tired what should I do!”

“I don’t know!”

Vernon snorts in protest, yelling at each other won’t help. “We can do the project today,” Vernon suggests.

Seungkwan shakes his head firmly. “No I’m not going to wait another hour in front of your dorm anymore,” he says as he continue his walk to the class.

“Then you can go with me since lunch break! That way I won’t forget about the project,” Vernon trying to stop him from walking again. Seungkwan stops and give him a weird look.

“With you till it’s time we do the project?” he raises an eyebrow. “I’d rather not,”

“It will be fun, im not a boring person actually,” Vernon says confidently as he smiles wide. “I’ll buy you lunch, as my apologize, and you can’t say no,”

“ _I’d rather not_ ,” Seungkwan repeats and walks again.

Vernon chuckles. Seungkwan seems really meant what he says but at least he doesn’t look that mad anymore. He walks beside Seungkwan, quietly examining Seungkwan. He’s naturally calm and easy going. He’s shorter than Vernon, and he has a round face that look like a bun, and a cheekbone which produce a high pitched voice that can be heard every lunch time. he looks cute in his awkward uniform style, which has his shirt buttoned up to the collar and buttoned up long sleeve, and he even do his hair. Vernon smiles acknowledging him.

Feeling uncomfortable being observed by Vernon, Seungkwan fasten his walks. Vernon laughs. He catch him up again and yanking Seungkwan up by the arm. Before Seungkwan could protest he warps an arm around Seungkwan’s shoulder casually and Seungkwan’s demeanor goes from a little bit annoyed to a completely peeved out. “Don’t ruin my hair don’t ruin my hair!” he shouts and Vernon laughs as his one hand move to comb Seungkwan’s hair with three fingers. Seungkwan let out a mewl protest.

“What's the point of doing your hair?” Vernon says before Seungkwan drawled again. “For broadcasting? No one gonna see it though?”

“None of your business,” Seungkwan mumbles under Vernon’s arm, suddenly feeling his shoulder heavy. He doesn’t push Vernon away though. Vernon smiles for that and pull him closer.

“What you say if I watch you broadcasting later? After that we can go to lunch together,” Vernon starts again.

“No! Don’t!” Seungkwan bawls he almost chocks. Vernon giggles loudly.

“Anyway thankyou for not changing partners,” he whispers to Seungkwan and he can almost feel Seungkwan shivers.

“Awh! Get away from me!”

That’s when Seungkwan finally pushes him away and runs to class. Vernon finds it cute and he laughs. He grins as he make his way to the same class as Seungkwan’s and put his bag beside Seungkwan’s. Seungkwan let out lots of protest, but Vernon just laugh and talk back playfully. The whole English class filled with him teasing Seungkwan in the end. He should’ve meet Seungkwan sooner, so the class isn't boring. Now English class won’t be as boring as before anymore. The teacher scold them sometimes for being too noisy, but Vernon doesn’t really care. Seungkwan just made his day brighter.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating but here I am now~  
> I've posted the story in other web so some of you might probably have read this but yeah okay enjoy.  
> Next chap in two or three days I promise :)  
> Kindly left comment, Thankyou.


	5. Maybe It's Not so Bad

 

* * *

 

Jeonghan wakes up to annoying loud dub step music that is blaring all around the room as if it were broadcasted through an intercom. Actually it’s just in his ear.

He groans as he lifts his head, finds a phone that blaring the sound of alarm near his ear. He’s about to turn off the alarm when a hand suddenly comes and takes the phone away from him.

"Good morning,"

Jeonghan's eyes follow the hand and up to the face. He’s too tall that Jeonghan has to raise his head more. His eyes meet the lamp instead. He squints his eyes then an unfamiliar face come to view.

“You hostage my phone,” the man says as he turns the alarm off. “Oh look, no text or miss call, how sad am I,”

Jeonghan tries to lift his body ignoring the man who talks to himself, but his head pounding and suddenly feels dizzy again. He holds his head with both hand trying to get the dizziness away.

"You're feeling good?” he hears the man again, now talking to him.

"Who are you?" Jeonghan says in between his headache.

“You don’t know me?” the tall man frowns.

Jeonghan slowly lift his head up again, turning around and he realize he’s not in his room. It's a little bit too big for a room in Peacock House. "Where am I?" Jeonghan turns to see the tall man again. The man stand still beside him, he’s wearing a uniform and the name tag read ‘Mingyu’, hands holding his phone and eyes looking weirdly at Jeonghan. As he want to fully sitting on the bed his head start to pound again. "Argh my head hurts."

"Here drink this, and this,” the tall man, Mingyu, hands him a glass of water and gives him an apple. “You'll feel better,"

"Am I being kidnapped?" Jeonghan suspects as he receives the glass of water and sips it.

Mingyu sends him a peevish look. "If kidnapping you means sharing more than half of my bed with someone else I'd rather not,"

"I slept with you?"

"What- no!" Mingyu hisses. "You're pretty but you're not my type,"

"Where am I?"

"Eagle House, my room," Mingyu says as he shoves a roasted egg to his mouth. "You’ll wait here till he’s back, don’t touch my things,” he says as he goes outside his room.

"Who?"

Less than one minute after the tall guy left, the door opens again and another man shows up.

"You’re awake?” he says as he goes to the wardrobe and take a blue jacket out of it. Jeonghan eyes him and then recognize him after a few seconds staring.

“Seungcheol?”

“Yes me,” Seungcheol says standing in front of him. Then he shakes his head in amusement. “Enjoying the bed too much aren't you, you look like you’re just awake from a torpidity death,”

“Take me back to my dorm,” Jeonghan says immediately, feeling no shame.

“Am I your driver?” Seungcheol says incredulous. He goes to the table and search for something. “Do you even remember what you have done to my car last night?”

Jeonghan doesn’t want to think. He’ll get the headache again. “No,” Jeonghan trying to get up now. He looks around once again and the sight of the clock get him stunned. “It’s seven o’clock?!”

Seungcheol turns to him and Jeonghan give him his surprise look. Seungcheol got a car key in his hand as he calmly nods. “Yes, and I think you have to skip first class, because you look like shit right now,” he eye Jeonghan from his head to his feet.

Jeonghan does the same to himself and suddenly smell the scent of alcohol. “Oh my god,” he gasps. “I think I'm going to puke,”

Seungcheol widen his eyes and shakes his hand furiously. “No, no, don't puke here! Come on, I'll drive you back, your roommate is worried,”

And after Seungcheol grabs a plastic bag he drags Jeonghan outside the room to his car. Jeonghan barely walk so Seungcheol pretty much having a hard time there. He shoves Jeonghan to the front seat along with the plastic bag and then he drive to the Peacock House.

“Hold it until you arrive at your dorm,” Seungcheol says as he hit the gear.

“God I smell,” Jeonghan whines. “I can’t hold it,”

“For fuck sake don’t throw up on my car again!” Seungcheol yells as he fasten his driving. “Puke in the plastic bag goddammit!”

Jeonghan couldn’t respond he feels the world is spinning around him. Seungcheol start making nagging noises for ten minutes, Jeonghan has tuned him out long ago, feeling his head suddenly heavy, looking off into the distance as Seungcheol’s voice fades in a dull buzzing. He might throw up anytime soon.

  

* * *

  

Doyoon remembered Jisoo left in early morning and since he couldn't sleep again until he forced himself to sleep. This cause him awake in headache next time he woke up. It suddenly feels heavier as everything beside him spinning around.

He thought it's just a small headache caused by his sleeping position. But then it's so much more than that, as he feels the air sucked out of him. He coughs hard and trying to control his breath. His heart beating a little bit faster than normal. What is happening?

His phone ringing so suddenly. Feeling Seungcheol a little bit too late to wake him up just now because he’s already up, he glance idly to his phone on the table beside his bed. He’s confused by what he sees.

It’s not Seungcheol calling.

And it’s already 9 am.

He’s already late for the morning class.

He grabs his phone and rejects the call. There’s three missed calls. Seems like Seungcheol already woke him up but he didn’t hear the calls. If it's Seungcheol calling. Swiping his phone open to immediately check who’s calling.

Doyoon frowns in between his headache. All the missed calls weren’t from Seungcheol.

No but wait. Why isn’t Seungcheol calling?

Suddenly he feels something rolling down from his nose. He stretches his arm up to his nose. It's all red.

Then everything goes black. 

 

* * *

 

  

"Jeonghan?" Soonyoung opens the door and Jeonghan come running in to the bathroom. He throws up again. Soonyoung eyes another man on the door who watch Jeonghan until he went in to the bathroom and the sound of puking starts. "Now explain this, how can he be with you, Seungcheol?"

Seungcheol turns to him scornfully. “Do I know you?” Soonyoung doesn’t answer and Seungcheol takes a deep breath and narrows his eyebrow. "I'd rather heard thankyou," he says. He wave his car key in front of Soonyoung eyes and points to the bathroom. "Your friend there need to pick his friend better,"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Soonyoung frowns.

"Not you, you sensitive nerd," Seungcheol hisses. Then he look at Soonyoung up and down, examining him. Soonyoung rolls his eyes, expecting he’d do that. Everyone really does judge him every time they know he’s in peacock house.

“Yeah, yeah I’m not originally from Peacock House, can you not look at me like that?” Soonyoung says pissed.

Seungcheol raises both eyebrow. “What look?” he says pretending to be stupid. Or maybe he really is. Soonyoung wants to believe the second. “What you do beautifully to get in this house?”

“Dance,” he answers firmly.

Seungcheol doesn’t talk about it anymore. Soonyoung doesn’t want him to. “Anyway,” Seungcheol says again. “His friend, the one he left with yesterday, he got him drunk," Seungcheol says. "Now if you say you're a good friend of him and understand how he can’t stand those, help him with his hangover, he gave him Quadrupled Whiskey, and if you don’t know, it’s the fourth strongest liquor in the world,"

Soonyoung's eyes goggled.

"Oh and tell him he puked on my car and I want him to pay for that," Seungcheol adds before he left.

Soonyoung closes the door and run to the bathroom finding Jeonghan sits on the floor head resting on the closet. Man he looks awful.

"What the hell, Jeonghan?" Soonyoung says by the doorway. "Minhyuk did this to you?"

"Who?" Jeonghan looks really dumb right now.

Soonyoung shakes his head in amusement. He never sees Jeonghan at this state. "Come on Jeonghan let’s get you to bed.” he says helping Jeonghan up. “Come on get your ass up,”

"My head feels like blow up," Jeonghan says slowly standing up with Soonyoung’s help.

"God you're smell. And you look terrible. There’s no way you go to the morning class now,"

"Hm" Jeonghan only hums as his body meet the bed sheet once again.

"I’m calling Jisoo,"  

"Dont!" Jeonghan shouts a little too loud and grabs Soonyoung's hand when he’s about to take his phone, shocking the latter. "I’ll be dead if he know!"

"Jeonghan let go," Soonyoung pushes Jeonghan hand away, and the latter starts to whine and cry.

"He'll hate me! He’ll hate me!!" he cries loudly. “He’ll kill me!” then he screams to the pillow like a five years old kid. Is this also the effect of the liquor last night, or is this the real Jeonghan?

Soonyoung ignore the cries and takes his phone. "Relax Jeonghan, Jisoo could never get mad at you,"

  

* * *

_a/n_

_this is short but please enjoy :)_


	6. Actually I Miss You Too

_The number you are calling is switched off. Please-_

Wonwoo shoves his phone back to his pocket. Mingyu doesn’t answer. Might not holding his phone. Might be in class. Might be a killer teacher.

They’re already a minute away from his dorm. The ride was quiet, Wonwoo doesn’t seem to let Minghao into his life. Yet. And neither did Minghao. He just stared outside the window the whole time in quiet. When he finally turns to Wonwoo, it’s for his own concern.

"Hyung you have a roommate?"

Wonwoo nods. Minghao falls silent again.

"Do you think I can go to your class when-"

"No," Wonwoo says noticing Minghao's worry. Minghao might feel uncomfortable if he left him alone in his room with his roommate, being a stranger in his dorm. Wonwoo understand. Wonwoo is the one who invited him there though, he will at least try to make him feel comfortable. Going to his class with him doesn’t make him less uncomfortable. "I won’t go to class too, it’s okay,"

He catches a glimpse of Minghao smiling almost hear a ‘thankyou’ in mandarin but he pretend he doesn’t hear. Minghao is actually a really nice guy.

The taxi stops in front of the Ferret House building, and Wonwoo step out of the car. Minghao follows behind him.

The building is four floors high and is painted in light brown color. It has a lot of wide window and everyone can see even from the ground all with dark brown curtain. There's a big Ferret mascot made of metal beside the main door, the mascot of the house. Wonwoo would think it's cute if the mascot doesn’t make a noisy sound every time everyone pass by there.

Ferret House is big. Of course. There are thousands students live there. It’s the biggest House in the school dorm, but it’s less classy than other house. After all, every new students live there first before they moved to other houses (if they do move), except for those who's originally in other houses.

“It’s big,” Minghao mused out loud as they walk pass the main hall for everyone to gather. From there he can see up to the 4th floor and so many students pass by. Ferret House has full facility for the students, including receptionist, student center, a small cafeteria, gym and all. Minghao seems really amazed when they pass the student center room too. It’s just Ferret House though. Other houses have more facility, bigger and classy one. Wait until Wonwoo take him to Eagle House.

Wonwoo leads them towards the elevator. There are three elevators in the building, and usually it’s crowded as hell. Even Wonwoo choose to take the stairs other days.

It’s not crowded now though. It's rare to see the elevator line is not full of people. Might be because it’s already this late. The morning class already started and only 12th grader who doesn’t have morning class. There's only Wonwoo and Minghao, a girl from the second floor, and a blonde parted haired kid.

The girl seems on a hurry because after glancing her watch a few times and wait with them for thirty seconds, she decides to leave. Minghao trails his eyes on her until she disappears into the crowd. Wonwoo doesn’t even buy a look.

There's a tap sounds coming from his side. Wonwoo glances to the sound and found the blonde kid tapping the board beside the elevator. He’s not actually waiting for the elevator. He’s reading the elevator manual and the list of rooms’ number from the board near the elevator. The kid looks confused as he taps the board many times and mumbled to himself. Is he not from this house? Wonwoo raise his eyebrow when the kid slams his head to the board.

Wonwoo furrows his eyebrow and open his mouth, “What are you doing?”

“Woah you surprised me!” the kid jump in surprise as his both hand goes to his chest. His eyes is really small but Wonwoo can tell he’s popeyed his eyes. “Where did you come from?”

Wonwoo frowns and Minghao furrows his eyebrow. It’s not like Wonwoo sneaking to surprise him or something. Everyone’s passing by and still he got surprised by the person standing with him a minute already? Wonwoo’s amused.

"Does this place not have room list or some sign? Like which room students go or where should we go to find a friend?"

Wonwoo furrows his eyebrow.

He’s totally not from this house.

Of course it has. Just ask the receptionist whose room he's looking for. Or better. Ask that person you want to visit to pick you up in the lobby. There’s this technology called phone. Some brain to use these days.

“Looking for someone from this house?” Minhao asks.

The kid scratches his back head. “Yeah,” his eyes making a hopeful look. “Does any Chan ring a bell?”

Minghao doesn’t answer, Wonwoo answer instead. “Yes,”

“Really? What room he’s in?” the kid blinks in excitement.

“412,”

“Cool! I’ll go to fourth floor then, thanks!” he grins.

Then the kid stays still beside Wonwoo waiting for the elevator now with a wide smile. Wonwoo turns back to the elevator. Minghao seems to lost interest in the kid too. As the elevator doors open, the people inside burst out and Minghao has to move behind Wonwoo to let them pass.

The three of them goes in to the elevator and Wonwoo presses the fourth button before the door closing.

“Your room in the fourth floor too?”

Wonwoo silent for a brief second to the question before realizing the kid is asking to him.

“You two are roommates?” he asks again.

Minghao shakes his head. “No, I’m just visiting,”

“Oh,” the blonde nods, the smile from his face doesn’t disappear though. “What room you’re going to?” this person really have so many things to ask, doesn’t he.

“412,” Wonwoo answers shortly.

“Oh wow! You’re visiting Chan too?” now the excitement look is on again.

“No, it’s my room,”

The blonde widens his eyes. “Wow why didn’t you tell me you’re Chan’s roommate!”

Wonwoo doesn’t feel like saying anything else so he toned down the other’s talk. Minghao has to respond to the blonde instead.

They arrive on the second floor and a female student walk in to the elevator. Wonwoo shift aside to the kid’s side. "This house need to add lots of sign so people don’t confuse when they visit here,” the kid added as the silent elevator goes on again.

Some houses have more signs than Ferret House. Of well, actually Ferret House doesn’t have any signs. All the students live there already know where to go and beside, who would want to visit Ferret House? It's not more interesting than other houses.

“Which house you go?” Wonwoo asks out of curiosity. Might be Wolf, because he doesn’t look knowable enough to be in the Lion House or Eagle House, and he’s not that pretty to be in the Peacock House.

“Peacock,” the other answers.

Oh.

Wonwoo eyes him. He just guessed wrong.

“I moved from here,” he added seems to know what’s in Wonwoo’s mind.

Now Wonwoo feels guilty for eyeing him as if he judge him if he’s suitable or not in the Peacock House. But he was actually judging though. He feels pity for those who aren’t _that_ pretty in the Peacock House, you know, visually. Well they must’ve done something beautifully to be in the Peacock House but still, everyone will judge their appearance too. Including Wonwoo himself.

“Then, what did you do?” Wonwoo ask trying to make as polite as possible.

“I dance,”

“You were from this house, and you can’t find your friend’s room?”

“It’s a long time ago, okay? And in Peacock House you’re given list of everyone’s room without asking if you’re a student too,” he says. “It’s as simple as that,”

“Anyway, I’m Soonyoung,” he adds as the elevator bells heard before the door opens. The three of them walk out of the elevator.

“I’m Wonwoo,” Wonwoo says. He makes a right turn. The two others follow him.

“I’m Minghao,” Minghao says beside him.

“Wait? Wonwoo?” the kid, Soonyoung he just mentioned, widen his eyes. “Wonwoo as in _that Wonwoo_?”

Wonwoo send him an odd look. “Which _Wonwoo_?”

“Mingyu’s boyfriend?” he blurted that too quick Wonwoo doesn’t expect him to say the words.

Now Minghao is the one widen his eyes.

“Uh, yes,” he answers hesitantly. “I’m _that_ _Wonwoo_ ,” he can almost feel Minghao eye lids gets even wider. Wonwoo should've notice this earlier, Minghao might not be a fan of gay couple.

“Wow, so it’s you people been talking about,” Soonyoung gives him an approval look and smile even wider.

Forget about Minghao. What did Soonyoung just say? He stops and turns to fully looking at Soonyoung. “What were they talking about?”

“Nothing,” Soonyoung says letting out a nervous chuckled. “Nothing bad I mean,”

Still giving Soonyoung a suspicious look, he points towards the door in front of where he just stops. The number 412 is on the door. “Here—“

“Wonwoo hyung! You’re back!” the door opened right before Wonwoo grab the handle. Chan, his roommate, also this guy Soonyoung want to visit, blinks a couple of times looking at all three of them in front of the door with a ridiculous expression, before continuing. “I just rejected the call though he called almost every minute!"

Wonwoo raises an eyebrow to his roommate. "Whose call?”

“It’s from Jun’s hyung phone, is his phone dead or something?” Chan says again. “I didn’t know you’d back this morning I just told him you’re not here yet,”

Knowing what Chan’s talking about, Wonwoo asks. “Where is he now?”

“Cafeteria, maybe? He doesn’t seem in class though. I heard loud cries and all, definitely not in class or library,”

“I’m going there,” Wonwoo says immediately. Minghao shrugs. Wonwoo turns to face him. "It’s okay, just think this room as your own house except for Chan's things.” then Wonwoo run towards the elevator in a rush.

The three of them are looking at him until he disappears through the corridor.

  

* * *

 

 

Jisoo didn’t go to the Peacock House. He went back to Eagle House again instead.

He made a note to come to Seungcheol later to ask for the detail explanation of what happened to Jeonghan yesterday.

He was in front of Minhyuk’s house when Soonyoung called and told him Jeonghan’s already back. He retreated from Minhyuk’s house even before he knocked on the door, driving back to the dorm after driving all the way to Minhyuk’s house, not even caring the morning class he should attend as a number one best student in school, to look for Jeonghan. He was worried. He’ll attend the next class instead. It’s okay. It’s rare for him to do a mistake; it might be his first time skipping class, so maybe it’s okay.

He was going to visit Jeonghan but maybe he should clean himself first so he’s going back to his own dorm.

As he opens his door room, he widens his eyes to the sight. Doyoon’s collapsed on his bed half body hanging on the edge of the bed. The phone is in his right hand blaring out the sound of his ringtone. Someone’s calling him nonstop.

He runs to him and jumps in shock when he sees Doyoon's nose is bleeding. Even more shocked when he touches him. Doyoons body is hot. He’s sweaty and he looks like he’s barely breathing.

Jisoo grabs a tissue and a towel. Seems like he’s gonna skip the next class too.

He takes the phone from Doyoon's hand and rejects the call, but the person seems to be so stubborn and keep calling him.

Jisoo picks up the calls.

He remains silent, listening to the person speaking in the other line, even until the calls ended. Jisoo doesn’t know what just happened and couldn’t register it in his brain. He looks at Doyoon worriedly. What should he do now?

 

* * *

 

 

_a/n_

_I'm sorry for all the typos (also the future typos lol) but I'm working hard to make a good story, please love this a lot <3 enjoy~_


	7. Soonyoung's Day

 

“Who called?” Soonyoung opens his mouth.

“Mingyu,” Chan answers shortly before turning to Minghao. “Hi! You must be Minghao hyung, come in, Wonwoo hyung told me you'd come,”

Soonyoung eye Minghao quietly. He looks somewhat relaxes a bit for the friendly invitation. Chan makes space for him to get inside and ask him to sit anywhere. Soonyoung slips in to the doorway too when Minghao goes in. He watch as Minghao sits awkwardly on the chair there while examining the room. Chan over him a glass of water and put it on the table in front of him.

“Make yourself comfortable and do whatever you want hyung,” Chan says again with his widest smile then turns back towards the doorway looking at Soonyoung. “I don’t remember Wonwoo hyung says he'd brought two people with him though,” he frowns in a teasing manner. “What are you doing here hyung?”

“I met him on the way,” Soonyoung walks towards the sofa too and sit beside Minghao comfortably. “I’m here to take the mix, can’t reach you trough phone, might want to explain that why?”

“Just did though? His boyfriend called me nonstop, I was just about to breath when you came,” Chan answers. “Can’t it wait until lunch breaks?”

“And do nothing while Jihoon work his ass off for his song?” Soonyoung raises his eyebrow.

“Something like that,” Chan goes to opens his laptop.

“So, are not from this house too?”

Chan turns to him then back to his laptop, thought Soonyoung was asking to him. Soonyoung ignores him.

Minghao somewhat surprised it’s actually asked to him. “Um, no,” he says hesitatively.

“Are you Wonwoo’s relation?”

“No! No,” Minghao answers rather hastily. “I’m a friend, just a friend,”

Soonyoung confused with the reaction but let it slip anyway. Him and Wonwoo doesn’t look alike though. And Wonwoo doesn’t seem like the type to cheat so there’s no way they have something between them.

“Here,” Chan suddenly throws a flash disk he barely catches. “Did you finish the choreography already, hyung?”

“Completing it soon. I only have music class before lunch break. I can figure the rest of the choreography at lunch.” He says. “I don’t want to lose to Jihoon,”

“You always win though?” Chan grabs a chair and sits in front of Minghao and him. “Jihoon hyung is now in Wolf House right? God I’m so envy I wish I can move away from here,”

“What’s wrong with this room?” Minghao opens his mouth.

“Yeah what is wrong in here, it’s not really bad,” Soonyoung nods in agreement.

“If it’s not bad then why did you move?” Chan glance at Soonyoung.

Soonyoung snorts. “Well,”

“This is the lowest level of school’s dorm,” Chan says to Minghao knowing the latter doesn’t understand about the dorm thing. “I need much more effort to go to the higher level of the school’s dorm,”

“What are the levels?” Minghao asks again. Then Chan starts to explain about school’s dorm excitedly.

Chan is a humble and cheerful person, he’s a nice dongsaeng and all he does to other people is sincere. Chan is in the dance club too, the other great dancer his club has. His love for Michael Jackson made him a really great choreographer. When Soonyoung graduate Chan will take his place for sure. Chan is first year but having Chan around almost every day in the dance club makes Soonyoung think him as a friend.

But, as much as its interesting listening Chan excitedly explain about the dorm thing, Soonyoung need to attend music class. Mr. Taemin doesn’t like his student late for class. It’s a good thing the class starts in half past nine though.

“Nice chatting but I need to go now,” he says as he stands up from the sofa. “You can continue talking after I left,” he walks towards the door.

“Sure hyung, take care,” Chan says. He escorts Soonyoung to the door.

Soonyoung is about to leave to the elevator when he turns to face Chan in front of the doorway. After make sure Minghao couldn’t hear them he begins. “You didn’t tell me you’re a roommate of Wonwoo!” he says finally asking what he has been wanting to ask since he found out that Wonwoo is Chan’s roommate.

Chan looks confuse. “Why should I hyung?”

“He’s Mingyu’s boyfriend! Been wanting to see him since forever!” Soonyoung says in disbelief.

He heard the rumour. It spread like a virus in thin air. Well how it didn’t? Mingyu and Yeri was a well-known couple in school before the transfer student came. Everyone was sure Mingyu wasn’t gay even when he’s a friend with bunch of gay people, Seungcheol or Jun for example, but when Wonwoo came he just dumped Yeri like that and dated Wonwoo in an instant. Might not be the full and true story of the rumour, but since then Soonyoung was curious of what and who could made Mingyu turned gay. It’s not like he has something against gay, not that anything wrong with being gay, he’s just curious. He wants to know.

“What’s got you interested in Mingyu’s boyfriend?” Chan send him a judging look.

Soonyoung raises both eyebrows. “What? I was so shocked when I found out he’s into men. Pretty sure he’s all over Yeri for the whole year, just wanna see the man who turned him around,”

“You got problem with men interested in other men?”

Honestly Soonyoung himself doesn’t know the answer for that. “Oh shut up, don’t give me that look,” he says hating how Chan judging him like that. “Go continue your pretty conversation. Go take a shower or something. Don’t you have class?”

“Meh. My only class is our practice time,”

“Then your class starts now. Ten minutes in practice room now,” Soonyoung says firmly as if he’s Chan’s mother. Chan strolls out his tongue.

“Do that one more time and I’m giving Jihoon the title as the next club leader,”

Chan trips on his way to the bathroom. Minghao chuckles. Soonyoung leave the room feeling satisfied. ‘

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Seokmin slips his way to the lockers room, quietly making his way towards Soonyoung’s locker.

Music class was supposed to be started in ten minutes ago, but Mr. Taemin only came and told them that he had some urgency so the class is cancelled.

On other usual day, Seokmin would come crying to Mingyu or Seungcheol class because his favourite class just got cancelled. But he found something more interesting. He wrote a letter. Again.

After buying a really expensive chocolate, he wrapped it in a nice blue wrapping paper, knowing blue might be Soonyoung’s favourite colour, and stick his letter that he already put nicely in a cute envelope and intend on putting it in Soonyoung’s locker.

It’s not a rare thing though, he has been sending chocolates and letters for Soonyoung, but he never sees Soonyoung took it. This time he wants to wait around the locker to see Soonyoung’s expression when he found out.

After make sure that no one’s around, he opens Soonyoung’s shoes locker. He plans to just put it inside and close it then hide behind the lockers, but then he sees it.

There’s another letter inside.

It warps in a pink ribbon and its all glittery.

Seokmin furrows his eyebrow.

There’s usually none. There’s usually no other letter but his. He put his letter and chocolate inside then he take the pink letter. He closes the locker and examines the pink letter. Who would give such a girly letter to Soonyoung? Only he can go around giving Soonyoung letters.

He’s about to open the ribbon when his back tapped by someone.

“Seokmin!!”

Seokmin’s let out his high pitched scream feeling so surprised. He shoves the pink letter immediately to his pocket then turn to the man who surprise him.

It’s Soonyoung. Seokmin suddenly forget to breath.

“What are you doing here?” Soonyoung asks cheerfully.

“Ah! Uh! Soonyoung!” Seokmin gulps nervously. He bites the inside of his cheek at how his heart thumped a little bit harder than necessary against his chest right then. “When did you arrive?”

Soonyoung laughs to Seokmin’s expression and Seokmin swears he just hear the most beautiful laugh on earth. “Just now, why aren’t you in class? Mr. Taemin isn’t there yet?”

Seokmin clenches the pink letter in his pocket as he takes a deep breath. “The class is cancelled. Mr Taemin have something urgent to do,” he says trying to look happy, when in fact he’s sad he can’t be in the only class that has Soonyoung there with him.

“Really? Cool!” well that’s a proper happy reaction. Seokmin mentally bang his head to the locker. “That means I can work on my dance project until lunch!”

Soonyoung is always enthusiast. He’s always excited if it’s about dancing. Well, as long as Soonyoung happy, Seokmin is happy too though.

Soonyoung puts off his shoes and goes to open his locker. “You can go with—oh look there’s this again,”

Seokmin almost chocks. His eyes opened wide. Well he was planning on seeing Soonyoung’s reaction but he didn’t expect he could see it directly like this.

“Chocolate and letter,” Soonyoung takes out the gift from the locker and shows it too Seokmin. “I thought someone gives the wrong locker, you know, but I keep getting it,” he says pouting.

Seokmin swallowing his surprised feeling, he act. “Wow that’s cool! You have a secret admirer! You should check who is it,” and if the letter opens in front of him he just have to confess his love (again) then.

But to Seokmin’s surprise, Soonyoung raises his shoulder and hands the chocolate and letter to him. “Nah, I don’t think this for me though, here you have it,”

Seokmin is really speechless by the reaction. “Aren’t you gonna read the latter first at least?” he bites his lip.

“No, it’s impolite to read other’s letter,”

“But this is for you though?” Seokmin says helplessly. So that’s what happened to all his letters and chocolates he ever gave to him. He feels all his spirit just sucked away from him.

“You don’t know that,” Soonyoung says as he changes his shoes and then raises his head again. He’s back to his 10:10 smile. “Hey do you have anything to do right now?”

Seokmin though, lost all his excitement and happiness. He sighs. “No,” But then regretted it after because he should’ve said yes.

“Good. Do you think you can help me finish my dance project?”

Oh! Good thing he doesn’t answer yes! “Sure!” Seokmin says in excitement suddenly forget about how his gifts got rejected. Thus, only Soonyoung can make Seokmin’s mood change fast like this despite being the reason of his both mood.

“Great! Come on, let’s go the club’s room!” Soonyoung starts walking and gesturing Seokmin to follow him.

“Is it okay though? I’m an outsider in there,” Seokmin says following him from behind. “I can’t even dance that well too,”

“No it’s okay, I own the room. You have VIP tickets to go there!” he’s the leader of the dance club. Of course.

“Awesome man! So I can visit you anytime I want?” Seokmin says as if he just got a golden ticket for the chocolate factory.

“Every minute will do,” Soonyoung says walking pass the classes.

“Okay!” wow he really is just got a golden ticket. He smiles all the way to the club’s room following Soonyoung from behind. Soonyoung smiles too, wide enough to show how excited he is too. He’s feels that he’s the happiest person in the world.

It’s just around the corner he notice it’s a dance project he need to help. He can do hip hop, popping and locking. But if its contemporer or slow waltz he’ll volunteer to just look and accompany Soonyoung. “Anyway, what’s the dance about?”

“Tango,”

Seokmin almost died of shock in the way.

 

* * *

 


End file.
